Copper Theft in Sacramento

The City is asking the public to help stop copper thieves, as the situation has risen to a level in which repairs to streetlights are backlogged for up to three to four months, even with a four-person crew working seven days a week and a just hired contract crew.  Calls from the public about streetlights out have increased dramatically since the end of daylight savings time.  We continue to receive on average four to five new reports weekly of new neighborhood areas that have been hit by copper wire thieves.  

I encourage neighbors to be vigilant about reporting to the Police Department any suspicious activity around streetlights in which a truck without a City seal and workers without uniforms and badges are visible.  Residents also need to know that because of the increase in these crimes it may be three to four months before power is restored.  

So Far:

• The Department of Transportation(DOT) has spent 200,000 replacing copper wire.  
• The City encumbered $95,000 for contractor costs, $86,000 in copper wire stock and $90,000 in pull box security lids.  
• We are responding to more than 175 areas that are out.  (An area is defined as a neighborhood street, which could range from one to several blocks, all damaged by theft.) At least three to five new sites are reported weekly.  Repairs to a single location can take from one to three days depending on the severity of damage by the thieves.  
• DOT responds to reported locations of thefts to secure the pull boxes to ensure public safety, then log each location as they are reported.  They repair each location according to the order in which it was reported.  Some locations have been without streetlights for over three months.  
• Each incident exacts a heavy toll on City resources as the thieves damage conduits and other equipment, making the repair time more involved and expensive than the time it took the thief to rip out the wire.  
• For more information, check out this article from the Sacramento Bee, Sacramento region officials battle copper theft crime wave - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

In the meantime, the City is working to put an end to these thefts by encouraging residents to be aware and vigilant in their neighborhoods.  The Police Department has made this one of their top priorities, but need your help.  Please report any suspicious activity or individuals in your neighborhood to the Police.  In addition, please be aware that there have been reports of thieves posing as city employees to gain homeowner's trust making their job easier.  Let's put an end to these thefts together!