Thieves frequently steal copper wire from street infrastructure in the Miracle Mile, sometimes plunging blocks into darkness. (photo courtesy of Kari Garcia)

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation on Oct. 13 aimed at cracking down on copper wire theft, which has disabled streetlights and electric infrastructure in cities across California.

Thieves steal copper wire and other metals to sell as scrap metal. Assembly Bill 476, authored by Assemblyman Mark Gonzalez (D-Los Angeles), makes it illegal to possess metal from essential infrastructure such as streetlights, traffic signals and plaques without proper documentation. It also requires metal recyclers to keep extensive records of who they buy scrap metal from including the seller’s name and signature, the amount paid for each purchase and the name of the employee conducting the transaction. AB 476 raises fines from $3,000 to $5,000 per offense for failing to keep expanded records.

“Copper theft does not just cost money – it undermines neighborhood safety and public trust,” Gonzalez said. “This commonsense legislation gives law enforcement and cities additional tools to track illegal transactions, stop thieves and hold bad actors accountable. In California, we are turning the lights back on.”

Copper wire theft has occurred throughout Los Angeles, leaving entire neighborhoods in the dark. Thieves stole copper wire valued at $11,000 in 2023 from the Sixth Street Bridge, darkening decorative lighting on the span. Repairs are projected to cost more than $2.5 million and the bridge remains dark while plans for permanent repairs are completed. Local neighborhoods including Hancock Park and the Miracle Mile have experienced repeated problems with copper wire theft.

“I’m happy they are starting to address it and crack down on crime, because it has definitely led to issues with street safety,” said Kari Garcia, vice president of the Miracle Mile Residential Association and Neighborhood Watch organizer. “We have been dealing with it for quite a while now and it’s frustrating.”

Garcia said she canvassed the greater Miracle Mile neighborhood recently and found 90 streetlights that were out. She said some streets have multiple lights that are not operating and residents have started putting up their own lights in front yards. Garcia said she has notified the 5th and 10th district council offices about locations where the lights are out and is working with the Los Angeles Police Department to ensure officers are aware of the thefts. She added that the city has repaired most of the streetlights in a timely manner but thieves sometimes return and steal the copper wires again.

“They are doing their best but we have areas that are still out,” Garcia said.

Leo Daube, a spokesman for Councilwoman Katy Yaro-slavsky, 5th District, said the council office is trying to expedite repairs when residents report outages but it is a continual problem.

“It’s one of the top concerns we hear from constituents,” Daube said. “The best thing we can do is support the LAPD’s efforts in identifying and prosecuting the individuals who are doing them and hardening out infrastructure.”

The Los Angeles City Council on Oct. 14 voted to create the Metal and Wire Theft Reward Program, which will establish a $1,000 reward for information on copper wire that leads to a perpetrator’s conviction. The council voted 8-2, with five members absent, requiring the motion to come back for second consideration on Oct. 21. The two no votes were cast by Councilmembers Eunisses Hernandez, 1st District, and Hugo Soto-Martinez, 13th District.

“Although I agree that we should pay attention to copper wire theft, I don’t think this really strikes at how we solve the issue. The way we solve the issue is by fortifying our streetlights, through hardening them and putting more resources into the department that is woefully underfunded in this moment. And there are some plans to do that,” Soto-Martinez said. “But I just don’t think this is the way we solve the issue that I think the public is asking for, and that’s why I’ll be registering a no vote for this.”