The National Post reports in its Thursday edition that Ontario Provincial Police have arrested four men and charged them with stealing copper wire from 33 decommissioned hydro poles that were cut down in Northern Ontario. The Post's Chris Knight writes that police said the copper, with an estimated value of $100,000, was taken in May from Coleman township, 200 kilometres northeast of Sudbury. The news comes at the same time U.S. President Donald Trump is announcing a possible 50-per-cent export tax on Canadian copper. "Today we are doing copper," he told reporters during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Copper prices in the U.S. are at an all-time high, with copper futures jumping more than 10 per cent to $5.682 (U.S.) a pound overnight. In addition to the illegal aspect of copper theft, it can also be an extremely dangerous crime, as thieves may put themselves at great risk when stealing copper wires. Earlier this month, Bell Canada noted that copper theft is up 23 per cent year-over-year, with over 500 cases this year alone, and more than 2,270 since 2022. It noted that Ontario leads the country with 63 per cent of copper thefts, but that New Brunswick and Quebec are also hot spots.