Burglary of Metals

Recently, there have been many cases of metal theft in Japan. This is something I have never heard after living in Japan for so many years. Is it because the differences between rich and poor is getting more prominent than ever? Or is it because more people can not make their end meet, due to layoffs?
The same kind of thefts also exist in China, but due to the high demand in the Olympic driven market.
People start doing similar thing when forced by life, wherever they are.