Three contractors have been charged after allegedly stealing and selling more than $1 million in copper.
NSW Police said they have received reports of copper cabling being taken from infrastructure projects by contractors since February.
The copper was then allegedly stolen and sold to “unauthorised scrap metal merchants under the guise of legitimate business,” NSW Police said.
Investigators attended a scrapyard in Ingleburn at 8.30 am on March 21, where they seized $200,000 of copper.
Two men, aged 48 and 43, were arrested during a search warrant of a property in Campbelltown at 12 pm later that day.
Police allegedly found an additional $105,000 worth of copper cabling during the search.
They were released a short time later without charges.
Following further investigations, both men were issued with a Court Attendance Notice on March 22 to be charged with larceny as a bailee with property valued over $150,000.
They appeared in court on May 8.
A third man was arrested at Fairfield Police Station at 9.40 am on May 9.
The 32-year-old was charged with three counts of larceny as a bailee, with property valued greater than $15,000, and knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime.
He was refused bail and appeared in Fairfield Local Court on May 10.
The trio allegedly stole more than $2.5 million worth of copper since February 2024, police claim. 
