Kansas City Today

Why Missouri has become a hotspot for copper thefts

By Nomin Ujiyediin,

Published September 25, 2025 at 4:00 AM CDT

Ways To Subscribe

Copper wire thefts are on the rise in Missouri, and Kansas City is getting hit hard. It turns out the skyrocketing value of the metal is due in no small part to the Trump administration's 50% tariff on copper imports.

KCUR's Sam Zeff tells Up To Date host Steve Kraske only Texas and California have had more copper wire thefts than Missouri.

Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Emily Younker and Madeline Fox.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

Tags

Nomin Ujiyediin

As a newscaster and a host of a daily news podcast, I want to deliver the most important and interesting news of the day in an engaging and easily understandable way. No matter where you live in the metro or what you’re interested in, I want you to learn something from each newscast or podcast – and maybe even give you something to talk about at the dinner table.

See stories by Nomin Ujiyediin

Byron J. Love

As an on-demand producer, I am focused on using my skills and experiences across multiple digital applications, platforms and media fields to create community focused audio, video and on-demand products for KCUR Studios. The media that I produce aims to inform, entertain and connect with the Kansas City metro area as we continue to learn from each other. Email me at byronlove@kcur.org.

See stories by Byron J. Love