Over the past six months, the City of Prince George has experienced a rise in the theft of copper wiring from streetlights, with repair costs since October totalling an estimated $25,000.
Now the city is calling on the public to help curb a sharp increase in wire thefts that has been causing significant disruptions and costing taxpayers thousands of dollars.
Thieves typically target streetlights, gaining access through handholes to cut and remove underground wiring.
The price of copper in BC as of Jan. 1, the price of copper in British Columbia was about $5.22 per pound for No. 1 copper, $5.02 per pound for No. 2 copper and $4.63 per pound for No. 3 copper, with the price of bare bright copper at about $5.42 per pound.
The theft of copper wiring not only create safety concerns by leaving areas without proper lighting, but they also require extensive repairs that drain valuable resources from maintenance crews.
The thefts generally occur late at night in less-trafficked areas, such as residential neighbourhoods, where the thieves can easily escape without being noticed. The City is urging residents to remain vigilant and immediately report any suspicious activity near streetlights to the RCMP.
If you witness someone tampering with streetlights — especially after hours and outside of regular city crew work hours — residents are encouraged to contact the Prince George RCMP’s non-emergency line at 250-561-3300.
In the case of an active crime, call 911. Authorities also request that people provide detailed descriptions of suspects, such as height, weight, clothing or any vehicle involved, if safe to do so.
