In an effort to combat copper wire theft, new copper wire insulation will be stamped with “City of Sacramento” to be identifiable as city property to law enforcement, recyclers, and the community.

The process has a nominal setup cost and the stamping is free.  The City of Sacramento will be the first major city in California to implement this technique. The Sacramento Police Department, in conjunction with the City of Sacramento Public Works Department and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office are committed to any measures available to combat these costly thefts.

Over the last three years, copper wire theft has cost Sacramento taxpayers millions of dollars, impacted neighborhoods, and resulted in more than 20,000 street light repairs.  Two years ago, the City of Sacramento was victim of wire theft more than once every two days, on average.  As a result, the Sacramento Police Department created the Metal Task Force in an effort to curb copper wire theft.  And, since its inception, data has shown a decrease in copper wire-related cases.

The Sacramento Police Department and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office continue to identify, arrest and prosecute those responsible for these senseless thefts.  The city’s marking on the insulation will make the wire identifiable as stolen property.  The insulation is oftentimes removed by the thieves, yet the laborious act of stripping the wire takes time; even after the copper is separated from its marked coating, the mere possession of the insulation could still result in an arrest.