Low income housing sites in NYC during the early 90's were nightmares of copper pipe thievery. The job super caught one guy hiding in a steel drum- the rotweilers that were his night time security had trapped the guy and it was the only place to hide. After the dogs were called off and before the cops arrived some of the carpenters pounded on the steel drum with hammers.

Recently a contractor I know took a bunch of scrap from a job to a yard and had to provide all kinds of info- including his drivers liscense- before the yard would buy it. He told me that the yard holds stuff for a few days in case anyone comes looking for stolen items.

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95 E300D gave away
77 300D, 227k, station car
83 300CD 370k, body gone away to the rust gods, engine is in a Yota pickup, going strong
89 190E 2.6- 335k, no more
79 VW FI Bus- 154k summer driver
59 VW Beetle ragtop- 175k
12 VW Jetta- 250k
74 MG Midget-78k