TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Copper wire theft is up from previous years because of the current price per pound, according to the Tucson Police Department.
KGUN 9 has previously reported on neighborhoods and streetlights going dark due to copper wire thefts.
The City of Tucson Transportation Department says about 4,000 streetlights are currently out across the city because of copper wire theft. In mid-September, that number was higher, at about 5,500 streetlights.
Recyco is a family-owned medal scrap yard located on the Southside. They explain laws are in place when it comes to selling and buying copper wire.
“You have to have a business license number, a contractor's license number, ROC, something that verifies that it legitimately comes from a company," Belgica Macias
explains. She is the CFO of Recyco.
Police say investigating these cases can be difficult because copper pieces do not have identifying marks like serial numbers. Scrap yards are still required to collect extensive information from sellers.
“If somebody does come in with insulated wire, they do have to provide an ID, a fingerprint, a picture, we provide video and a signature," Macias says.
Even with safeguards in place, scrap yards say people continue to try selling stolen material.
“Every day we get folks that come in trying to recycle material that is not authorized for us to purchase. Typically they've gotten rejected at another recycling yard, so they're doing the rounds, seeing which one will buy it,” Vanessa Gallego-Lujan, COO of Recyco says.
Wire theft is happening all across the city, not just in one part of town, TPD explains.
Consequences for copper wire theft can include felony charges, jail time and prison sentences. TPD says it is working with builders to harden locations where copper wire is being installed.
Police say the public can help by reporting any suspicious activity especially in the evening or early hours of the day when it is dark.
———
Athena Kehoe is a reporter for KGUN 9, she joined the KGUN 9 team in July of 2024 after graduating from Arizona State University. Share your story ideas with Athena by emailing athena.kehoe@kgun9.com or by connecting on X/Twitter.
