More than 1,000 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ streetlights have gone dark over the last six months as a surge in copper wire thefts has left city officials struggling to keep local roadways lit.
Thieves have been stealing copper wire from the lights faster than it can be replaced, costing the city about $1.3 million in wire replacement and infrastructure damages in recent months, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ officials say. Police said bare copper wire can sell for about $2.30 per pound in Southern ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ at this time.
While scrap metal dealers are required to document the identifications of those selling the material, a lack of identifying marks on the wire itself makes the items difficult to track as stolen, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ police said.
Compounding the issue, the current wait time for a light to be repaired is between one and six months due to staffing shortages, the city said. Repairs are being focused first at pedestrian crossings, major roadways where traffic volumes and speeds are higher, and then residential streets, according to the city’s Department of Transportation and Mobility.
People are also reading…
The rate of the thefts is overwhelming the city’s four employees who are tasked with general street light repair, says Kevin Dahl, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s vice mayor.
Contractors have been brought in as a result of the copper theft surge to help identify, locate and fix lights targeted by thieves. This is a costly task that the city did not budget, Dahl said.
“We have to do it, but some other program will suffer because of that,†Dahl said. “The money (to fix this) doesn’t come out of nowhere. There’s no special grants for this.â€
And even when lights do get fixed, Dahl said it’s often not long before they are damaged again — one light being targeted on three separate occasions. It’s a cycle that the city and ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ police are trying to break.
“We are trying innovative techniques to foil continued theft, and while some have been circumvented, we hope that some will ultimately prove successful,†Dahl said.
Until then, Dahl said it’s important to take heed when driving in dark areas, and for pedestrians and bike riders to be more aware of their surroundings.
He’s gotten calls from residents concerned about the sudden street blackouts, some who have assumed the dark streets are part of the city’s dark-sky ordinance. But that is not the case, Dahl has to explain. “I think there’s some confusion,†he said.
And while residents can’t exactly go fixing broken streetlights themselves, they can help prevent other lights from going dark.
Security cameras and witness tips have both led to felony charges being filed.
“Getting the culprits arrested is the best prevention,†Dahl said.
“Help be our eyes in your neighborhoods. If you see this happening, 911 is a real quick call to make ... if we knock off 10-20% of the bad guys, that’s a lot off our work load.â€
