City of Tucson continues seeing copper wire thefts from streetlights, leaving neighborhoods in the dark

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Around a thousand streetlights are out in the City of Tucson due to copper wire thefts.

Copper wire powers the majority of the City of Tucson's street lights, but over 400,000 linear feet of copper wire has been stolen in the past six months.

A spokesperson stated that the work to repair the wiring will cost the city around $1.3 million.

The Tucson Police Department is working with scrap metal dealers, who are on the lookout for stolen wire.

Still, it's hard to track down what's been stolen because most scrap metal looks the same.

As this has been an ongoing issue, Arizona law already restricts scrap metal transactions by requiring electronic records and sellers' fingerprints and only allowing money orders or checks.

The law also states junk yards cannot accept copper wire that has had insulation removed.

Visits to local junkyards found the price per pound for copper ranged between $2.50 to $3.25.
The
City of Tucson representatives asked Tucsonans for patience, as the wire is being stolen quicker than workers can replace it.

“The theft of this copper wire is really affecting the safety of our community and Tucsonans. So we ask the community to help. If you see a situation that shows somebody is out there stealing copper wire, to let us know, to call 9-1-1, so we can try and get out there and stop them from doing this,” said Erica Frazelle with the Department of Transportation.

Currently, the city’s priorities for repairs focus on major intersections and areas with heavy foot traffic.