Bronze tugboat propellers worth $2m stolen in WA's north

Four massive tugboat propellers have been allegedly stolen from an industrial yard in WA's north. Police say the equipment weighs eight tonnes in total and would have required heavy machinery to remove. What's next? Authorities are keeping an eye out for suspicious scrap sales, with the total replacement cost valued at $2 million. Detectives are investigating the apparent theft of four enormous copper-rich tugboat propellers worth about $2 million in Western Australia's north. The heist appears to be one of the most daring authorities have seen, as each propeller weighs about 2 tonnes and measures almost three metres across. Police believe the suspects broke into an industrial yard on the Burrup Peninsula near Dampier, about 1,530 kilometres north of Perth, between December 18, 2025 and May 29 of this year. Heavy machinery was likely used to move the propellers, which had been stored in specially built frames for transport. It took five months for the propellers' owner, whom the police did not identify, to report them missing. Made to measure from a bronze-nickel alloy, which has a high concentration of copper, police estimate the total cost of replacing the propellers could reach $2 million. Copper theft reaches new heights Copper theft is a widespread problem due to its high resale value and ability to be recycled over and over. The metal is used in electricity infrastructure and in artificial intelligence, which has triggered increasingly brazen raids by thieves. Police suspect the alleged perpetrators may scrap the propellers and have asked the public to report any suspicious copper sales. Karratha metal recycler Mohammed Ghambarie was among those contacted by police in the course of their inquiries. He said there was a thriving black market for copper scrap around the state and speculated that any stolen goods would be sold cash-in-hand far from town. "The bronze is worth about $8 to $9 a kilo for this scrap, and the nickel is probably, if pure nickel, worth $15 a kilo," Mr Ghambarie said. He estimated the thieves might make about $72,000 from the eight-tonne haul but warned the merchandise would set alarm bells ringing. "A brand new propeller like this definitely raises red flags; we just stay away from that," he said. Gas giant Woodside, which operates several of the peninsula's largest facilities, told the ABC the incident did not involve any of its equipment or infrastructure. [Image text:] PI-2409 WLL:2700KG TARE:1350KG