Copper theft has been a persistent and costly problem in the greater New Orleans area. Street lights in particular have been affected as thieves have targeted them to strip the copper elements from them. Jefferson Parish Council member Deano Bonano says there are plans being put into motion to deter these incidents in the future and ensure a more secure infrastructure for citizens. “We’re going to look at doing things differently now. We’re going to put in aluminum wires as opposed to copper because aluminum isn’t as valuable. We’re also going to put locking panels so you can’t just undo screws and get to it. You’ll need to open them up with some kind of key to get to them,” explained Bonano, saying he hopes these measures will prevent future infrastructure damage.
Bonano is also hoping for the public’s help when it comes to catching copper thieves in action by reporting anything suspicious they see, especially work being done on street lights. “Please know that we don’t work on our street lights on nights or on weekends. So, if you do happen to see someone working on a street light in Jefferson Parish on a night or a weekend, call 911 and ask the sheriff’s office to investigate. We need to know if these people are legitimately working on street lights or up to no good,” he went on to urge residents.
Law enforcement is looking to crack down on not only copper thieves, but the businesses or individuals purchasing the stolen materials. “I’ve actually talked to some of our state legislators to require the individuals who are buying it to get more information from who is selling the scrap. You don’t just show up with that much copper and not show where it’s coming from,” Bonano says. “The scrap yards need to do more on their end to find out where they’re getting all this scrap and copper from,” he added.
Bonano says much of the stolen copper being sold generally goes to other areas where news of the theft isn’t as prevalent. This helps thieves keep a lower profile while moving the stolen goods. “They may not be selling it here because it’s been in the news. They may move those materials to Gulfport or beyond because it isn’t in the news cycle there,” notes the councilman.
He urges anyone with suspicions about copper being sold to contact authorities and have it investigated, emphasizing that there’s no harm in reporting any activity that seems out of sorts.