A Dunedin youth has found himself in hot water after allegedly stealing a hot-water cylinder from a Leith Valley carport.
Senior Sergeant Mel Aitken, of Dunedin, said the 18-year-old was seen leaving the address in a car with the cylinder yesterday.
Later, he went to the Dunedin Central Police Station to report his car had been stolen, but closer investigation showed his story "did not add up", she said.
The cylinder was located at a South Dunedin address and the man was later arrested and charged with burglary.
Police are searching for a 17-year-old youth in connection with the incident.
Snr Sgt Aitken urged residents to keep an eye on their copper spouting, hot-water cylinders and any other items containing copper as there appeared to be a resurgence of copper thefts in the city.
She said there had been three burglaries of copper products in Dunedin and Mosgiel since the start of the year.
Sims Pacific Metals branch manager Rob Pape said the increase in reported burglaries of copper materials might be because the value of copper was rising.
It had been increasing steadily during the past year and was now valued at $5.50 a kg.
The copper from a standard hot-water cylinder could fetch up to $90, he said.
"I can't really understand why people steal it though. They have to provide photo identification, like a driver's licence or a passport, which we record.
"We then hold the material for 14 days to see if any reports of burglaries of copper come from police."
