Theft of copper wire in Washington causing concerns for motorists

In the past two years, thieves seeking to capitalize on rising world metal prices have stolen about $375,000 of copper wire around Washington.

The Associated Press

1/25/2008

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Motorist safety is becoming the latest casualty of metal theft as the loss of copper wire cuts electricity for lighting, traffic signals and special message signs, state officials warn.

In the past two years, thieves seeking to capitalize on rising world metal prices have stolen about $375,000 of copper wire around Washington, including about wire worth about $110,000 in the six counties of the state Transportation Department's northwest region.

On Wednesday, work crews discovered that wire had been stolen from a weigh station in Buckley, east of Tacoma.

Two thefts totaling 2,800 feet of copper wire last year cut the lights along a short stretch of accident-prone U.S. Highway 2 east of Everett.

"It is a big problem. It's driving us crazy," state Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond said.

Since November, state officials have recorded seven thefts along State Route 16 in Pierce County. One last week cut power to traffic lights for a ramp leading onto State Route 161.

"When they're doing it to signals, that becomes a safety concern," State Patrol Capt. Jeffrey K. DeVere said.

Transportation officials say thieves often target electrical junction boxes buried near roads, concrete enclosures 2 feet by 2 feet with an unlocked metal lid that allows easy access to the wiring for workers.

Chris Christopher, a maintenance engineer, said crooks typically locate two junction boxes, break in, cut the wire, hook one end to the back of a truck and pull it out, mostly during the night in remote locations.

The U.S. 2 thefts, however, were in an area where lights are on sensors so the lines are not energized during the day, Jon W. Cornelius, the state agency's regional signal superintendent. The thieves apparently donned vests and hard hats before clipping the lines by day, then returned at night to pull out the wire, he explained.

"They appeared to drivers like they belonged there," Cornelius said.

In Pierce County, an enterprising thief took a plastic orange barrel of the type used for lane closures, cut it in half vertically, discarded one half and then hid behind the other half while breaking into a junction box, Christopher said. That attempt failed, though: The crook cut into a live wire, got a non-lethal jolt and fled, he added.

So far authorities have been at a loss on how to stop the thefts. Transportation and State Patrol officials have discussed enforcement alternatives and public education.

Following a hit on junction boxes that took out warning signs through Snoqualmie Pass last fall, some of the boxes are being welded shut, which will delay repairs in the case of electrical malfunctions because the welds must be ground off.

That approach is too costly to use in many other places, as is outfitting all junction boxes with locking lids, Christopher said.

A more general measure would be a law to require that recyclers obtain more personal information from sellers of copper wire.

"It's a difficult crime to proactively curb," DeVere said. "Nobody's got the panacea identified yet.'"