It is not always the best to be the leader. This is especially true for Ohio in that it leads the nation when it comes to metal theft. It seems the only social epidemic currently worse than metal theft is prescription medication abuse.

Ohio leads the nation in insurance claims for metal thefts, with Cincinnati and Cleveland ranking among the top 10 metro areas. As reported in www.sfgate.com.

A National Insurance Crime Bureau report released Wednesday shows Ohio filed 3,228 claims from 2010 through 2012. That's 23 percent more than second-place Texas.

The numbers don't necessarily mean more metal thefts in Ohio, only that businesses and homeowners file more claims. Personal friends of mine attest to the rash of metal theft in their state. They read about it and watch it on the news every week.

Among metropolitan areas, Cincinnati ranked sixth with 720 claims, Cleveland was ninth with 627, and Columbus 13th with 444 claims. New York City-Long Island-northern New Jersey topped the nation with 1,275 claims.

Metal theft has been increasing across the country. Thieves have stripped sheets of metal from rooftops, ripped apart air conditioners for the copper coils, and stolen cemetery decorations. The pieces are then sold for scrap, and quick cash for the thieves.

Police and Ohio legislators have tried to curtail the practice with increased patrols and tighter regulations on scrap yards to make it more difficult to sell stolen metal.

Do you think stop theft classes would help abate the problem? Could theft classes keep this type of criminal from ever stealing or continuing to steal?