‘COPPER FEVER’: Record $12,500/MT Prices Trigger National Infrastructure Crisis – OXY NEWS CHANNEL

 In this investigative report from OXY NEWS CHANNEL, we detail the alarming surge in copper theft across the United States as of January 2026. With prices up 35% this year due to "Trump Boom" demand and tariff front-running, we examine how critical infrastructure is being dismantled. From the 15,000 attacks on telecom lines to the $1 billion annual cost to American businesses, we break down the "asymmetric" economic impact where $100 of stolen wire causes $5,000 in damage. We also look at new state laws banning cash-for-copper and the FBI’s warning that these thefts now pose a genuine national security risk.