Crime Copper thieves target shrine roofs

In Tochigi Prefecture, a shrine located deep in the mountains suffered extensive damage after copper roofing panels were stolen, with photographs showing that nearly half of the roof plates on one side had been removed, while the shrine reported to police that additional panels appeared to have been taken overnight, leaving the damage far worse by the following morning. The shrine is normally unattended except when local residents visit to pray, and officials said they were shocked that thieves would go so far as to enter a remote area and strip copper from the roof. Traces believed to have been left by the perpetrators were later found near the site, with shrine officials noting that the objects were not present the previous day and may have been left behind by the thieves. Similar incidents have been reported nationwide. In Ebino, Miyazaki Prefecture, 12 copper plates bearing the names of bridges were stolen last month, causing damage estimated at 480,000 yen. In Hagi, Yamaguchi Prefecture, a tourist site known for its plum blossoms suffered the theft of about 38 kilograms of copper roofing from a rest area in November last year, with the city now considering how to repair the damage amid concerns that the site could be targeted again.

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Nakajinja Inarisha shrine stands in an idyllic countryside area of Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture. The three colors of its roof plates create a mottled pattern. That is because copper plates were stolen three times, leaving no choice but to use galvalume plates to repair the damage. "We really wanted to repair the damage with the same copper panels. Shrine parishioners of my parents' generation worked hard to build the Inarisha shrine, so we want to pass down their feelings," said a man in his 50s who is a member of "koju," an association of disciples comprising local residents. "But we had no choice but to change the material after being targeted so many times." The shrine had its roof plates stolen in February 2024. More than half of the copper plates were taken away by thieves. Volunteers shouldered about 800,000 yen ($5,000) to repair the damage, in addition to taking out insurance that also covered theft although the premiums were costly. About one year later, the shrine was targeted by thieves a second time.

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• Copper (Bright Wire): ~£5,600–£7,000 per tonne
• Brass (Mixed/Taps): ~£3,000–£3,200 per tonne
• Aluminium (Clean Sheet): ~£950–£1,100 per tonne
• Lead (Scrap): ~£1,000 per tonne
• Stainless steel (18/8): ~£500 per tonne
• Steel/Iron (Light): ~£140–£180 per tonne\
• Gold ~ £119,130,322 per ton

Police said similar thefts have also been confirmed at at least two other shrines within Hamana Ward, and investigators are treating the cases as possible serial thefts. Copper thefts targeting shrines and temples have become an increasing problem across Japan in recent years, driven largely by soaring global metal prices and the ease with which stolen copper can be sold through scrap channels. Religious sites have become particularly vulnerable because many traditional shrine and temple buildings use copper sheets for roofs, decorative fittings, rain gutters, and ornamental features. In many cases, these structures are old, lightly monitored at night, and located in rural or mountainous areas where thieves can operate unnoticed for hours.

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