Has your neighborhood’s power ever gone out with seemingly no explanation? There’s a chance copper thieves were to blame.
But where does that copper go? Someone has to buy it. And now, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office is going after buyers trading in the stolen metal.
Copper wire can fetch about $3 a pound, making it a target for thieves looking to make a quick buck. But this type of theft can lead to electrocution, fires, and power outages.
“When you pull the wrong wire, entire neighborhoods go down, and it just makes the city generally less safe,” City Attorney Hydee Feldstein-Soto told KNX News’ Craig Fiegener.
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In 2022, a dozen people were prosecuted for stealing copper wire from the L.A. Department of Water and Power’s infrastructure. But this year, a new policy gives Feldstein-Soto’s office subpoena power to go after the hundreds of metal resellers who received the stolen wire.
“We concluded that going after the resellers was a much more effective way to shut down the market,” she said.
The penalty for first-time offenders is $1000 or 30 days in jail. For a second offense, the penalty increases to $2000, and a third offense can lead to a $100,000 fine and up to 80 days in jail.
Feldstein-Soto said that last month, her office sent letters to 661 licensed resellers warning them that it’s a crime to knowingly purchase stolen metal.
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