Jan 11, 2008 6:59 pm US/Central
Thieves Stealing Copper From Texas Highway Lights
FORT WORTH (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
Copper thieves are stealing recyclable wiring worth thousands of dollars in taxpayer money. But the copper is coming from highway lights, putting North Texas drivers at risk.
On an ordinary day, drivers might not really notice the lights that brighten up off-ramps and signs along the highway. Crooks, however, do notice the lights, and are breaking into the access panels and stealing copper wiring in just minutes.
These crimes are happening at an alarming rate, according to Holly Hughes of the Texas Department of Transportation. "Over the last year and a half, it's definitely increased in Tarrant County," she said, "and we have seen more in the last six months than we've ever seen."
In just over a year, more than half a mile of wire was stolen in Tarrant County.
In just one night, along one stretch of highway, $20,000 worth of wire was stolen. The copper is often taken from lights in areas that need lighting the most, creating dark areas of roadway and making it dangerous for drivers.
Officials with TxDOT believe that the crooks tie the wire to a vehicle and begin driving away, yanking the precious wire out from the light pole. "We feel strongly that they know what they're doing," Hughes said, "because they're not hurting themselves when they're [stealing the copper]. If just an amateur did it, they could electrocute themselves or anything else could happen."
As the price of copper increases, so does the amount of copper that is taken from highway lights. But even with thefts on the rise, the thieves remain ellusive, frustrating TxDOT officials.
Stopping these crimes is not as easy as welding the access panel doors shut. Hughes explained, "The harder we make it to not steal, then when we need to replace it for a legitimate purpose, it becomes a challenge for us to replace it for the right reasons."
TxDOT is asking for help in catching these criminals. If you see anyone working on a light pole that is not in a marked TxDOT truck, call the police.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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