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PORTERVILLE, Calif. — After 16 years of investigating agricultural crimes, Bobby Rader has channeled his frustration with persistent copper wire theft into a practical solution aimed at protecting farmers and their operations, KFSN reported.
Rader, a member of a local law enforcement Ag-Crimes unit, is the creator of COP-R-LOCK, a new security system designed to detect and deter copper theft, a crime that continues to cost the agriculture industry millions each year, in real time.
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“We created change that was desperately needed,” Rader told KFSN. “Copper wire theft has been tolerated way too long.”
The theft of copper wiring — often valued at just a few hundred dollars by thieves — can result in tens of thousands of dollars in damage to farmers, particularly when it disrupts irrigation or harvest operations.
How it works
COP-R-LOCK is a tamper-sensitive system installed at agricultural sites to protect electrical panels, conduits and wiring, according to the report. If a thief attempts to access or cut the system, it immediately triggers alarms, lights, and real time notifications to the property owner or manager.
“There is no way a criminal can begin the theft without triggering the system…” Rader explained. “Just opening the panel sets it off.”
The system is patent-pending and currently installed at four sites, with 20 more installations underway. Rader is also partnering with Farmblox, a company specializing in agricultural technology.
Real time response
A major advantage of COP-R-LOCK, Rader noted, is that it enables real time response — something that hasn’t been possible in past investigations.
“I have been an ag crimes expert for 16 years,” Rader told KFSN. “I have never responded to a copper wire theft in progress, but now we can. Now we can go to a copper wire theft in progress, that changes everything. That is music to the ears of a good cop.”
Cost and accessibility
A typical COP-R-LOCK setup costs under $4,000, a fraction of what farmers often pay to repair damage. Rental options are also available to make the system more accessible to smaller operations.
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