The Sacramento Police Department and the City of Sacramento Department of Transportation are seeking the community's help to stop the theft of valuable copper from street lights and traffic signals.

Several thousand feet of copper wire have been stolen from street lights and traffic signals throughout the city, as the price of recycled copper is back on the rise. Thefts have occurred during all hours of the day and night. The most recent and hardest hit areas are the north Natomas neighborhoods, specifically those with fewer residents.

The community is asked to watch for suspicious activity near street lights and intersections. For legitimate repair work, a white pick-up truck with the City of Sacramento seal on it and workers with City identification badges, will be present. If you see anyone working on the wire of street lights or traffic signals and a City vehicle is not present, call the police.

The replacement cost for the wire has reached $30,000 so far this year (compared to $25,000 for the entire year of 2007). This amount does not include labor and other associated costs, putting the total value of losses at close to $60,000. This issue further impacts the City's existing limited staffing resources and slashed budgets. 

The Sacramento Police Department and the Department of Transportation want to remind residents to watch for any unusual activity and call the police if necessary. Working together we can stop these thefts, keep our neighborhoods well lit, and reduce replacement costs.