SAN GABRIEL VALLEYWIDE NEWS
Winston Chua

ALHAMBRA – The Alhambra Police Department is urging the public to help them stop the rising theft of copper wires, two recent thefts in a four-day span alone. Alhambra Police Sergeant Brandon Black said that thieves target streetlamps, possibly in broad daylight.

“If anyone sees someone tinkering with a lamppost or electrical facility, call us,” said Black. “If you don’t see the city of Alhambra seal on a white truck, it is not genuine. There is no need to confront these guys.” The APD has in its possession a picture of a red truck which they believe is the vehicle the thieves have been using.

Thieves are cutting from under streetlamps, not in major intersections but along smaller streets, and then cutting the copper wire underneath and storing it in their truck. In two days the city lost about 4,000 feet of copper wire, which thieves typically take to recycling centers. Legislation is in the works for recycling centers to mandate identification before exchanging metals in bulk for cash. The price of copper currently hovers at around $3 per pound. Six years ago copper was just 75 cents a pound.

Black said that it is important to catch these people sooner than later, because it costs the city between $8,000 to $10,000 to replace the wire from these two locations alone. This week 20 streetlights went out on Westmont Drive and another 10 lamps went out on Ramona Road.

Fewer lights mean compromised security. Inoperative lights could increase the chance of crime, as criminals typically work in the dark. Copper wire thefts are nothing new to Alhambra or other parts of Los Angeles County. By the winter of 2008 alone more than 4,000 lights had been affected in L.A., causing more than $1 million in damages.