‘Copper Thieves’ are Turning American Cities into Third World Countries; Copper Thieves Rob 6th Street Bridge of Its 'Ribbon of Light'; Copper Thieves: The Unseen Threat to EV Charging Stations

‘Copper Thieves’ are Turning American Cities into Third World Countries

"We have about 3,700 lights that are completely out"

Legalize crime, as pro-crime activists did in the name of ‘criminal justice reform’ and you don’t just get more crime, you get third world living conditions as criminals go after everything.

And I do mean everything.

Cemeteries, streetlights and bridges across Los Angeles have been targeted by copper thieves in recent weeks, and now officials are vowing to crack down on the rise in thefts.

Thieves are stealing copper wire so they can sell it to recycling centers who may not know that what they are buying is stolen.

According to Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin de León, the city has spent tens of millions of dollars on repairing damage caused by the thieves, most of whom use hand saws to saw right through metal panels.

“In my district alone, we have about 3,700 lights that are completely out,” Councilmember de León told KTLA 5’s Jacqueline Sarkissian. “We are on the 6th Street Bridge right now … half of the bridge is completely dark because these thieves have broken into the metal panels.”

“Streetlights that can be 15 to 30 feet high [can have] a minimum of 150 feet of copper wire,” de León said.

That’s a whole lot of copper wire and a whole lot of dark streets. It’s not just happening in LA either, but in other pro-crime cities.

Here it is in St. Paul --->READ MORE HERE

Photo by Gary Leonard/Getty Images

Copper Thieves Rob 6th Street Bridge of Its 'Ribbon of Light'

"The damage is to about a third of the bridge, so it is extensive," says a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Department of Public Works

“The Ribbon of Light,” as it’s called, has been dimmed lately. City officials say copper thieves are targeting L.A.'s famously illuminated 6th Street Bridge, the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday.

Tonya Shelton, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Department of Public Works, told the Times, "The damage is to about a third of the bridge, so it is extensive."

Stealing copper is a somewhat common crime, as it can be a quick way to make money. Thieves will destroy infrastructure to get to the copper wires within, used as electrical conductors. Then they turn to scrap yards or metal recyclers, who pay them a fee.

At this site, utility boxes were broken into, and video footage shared on X shows random wires sticking out from the rails of the bridge. The theft has not been said to affect the safety of the bridge, only the aesthetics. No timeframe has been given as to when the wiring will be fixed to restore the bright architectural feature to its full glory.

"We understand the impact of these thefts on the community, and we are committed to taking every necessary step to safeguard our infrastructure and maintain the safety and reliability of our city's lighting systems," said the city's public works department in a statement obtained by ABC7. The news station broadcast video footage of the bridge gone dark this morning. --->READ MORE HERE

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+++++Copper Thieves: The Unseen Threat to EV Charging Stations+++++

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