Small Theft Triggers Costly Spill

A thief who stole the brass valves from a holding tank, acquiring $10 worth of metal, caused a 3,500-gallon chemical spill in San Francisco Bay, police say.

Cleaning up the toluene from Reaction Products in Richmond cost about $250,000, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Wednesday. The theft and spill occurred during the weekend in San Pablo Bay, the northern part of San Francisco Bay.

High commodity prices have triggered a rash of metal thefts across the country where the damage done and cost of repair is often disproportionate to the value of the brass, copper or lead stolen. In San Francisco, two brass plaques disappeared from the Shakespeare Garden in Golden Gate Park two weeks ago, and a man was arrested with a 300-pound bronze tablet from Dolores Park.

You won’t believe the lengths that thieves will go to these days for a couple of bucks worth of metal, Richmond Police Lt. Mark Gagan said.