Copper thieves hit 175-year-old gunpowder storage site

Key points

• Thieves have stolen historic copper gutters, downpipes and a lightning rod from the Queen Victoria Gunpowder Magazine at The Domain in Hobart. The Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service said the damage was observed about two weeks ago, with the thieves allegedly cutting through a barbed wire fence to enter.
• The site, built in 1851, once stored gunpowder and explosives. Militaria Collectors of Tasmania, which leases the site, estimates repairs could cost tens of thousands of dollars.
• Tasmania Police said it is investigating and has seen a rise in copper theft across the state.