Attorney General Bonta: Copper Wire Theft Leaves Californians in the Dark, We Must Ensure the Lights Stay On

LOS ANGELES – As part of a statewide effort to address the surge in copper wire theft and infrastructure vandalism, California Attorney General Rob Bonta today was joined by local law enforcement, business leaders, schools, utilities, and elected officials for a roundtable discussion. California has seen an increase in copper wire thefts throughout the state, which have left neighborhoods in the dark, resulted in telecommunication and utility outages, impacted business and agricultural operations, and threatened public safety. Alongside today's roundtable, Attorney General Bonta issued a new law enforcement bulletin that summarizes the California statutes related to copper wire theft and laws governing junk dealers' and recyclers’ obligations to collect and report information on copper transactions.

“My office won’t tolerate anyone vandalizing critical infrastructure and endangering our communities to make a buck off of stolen copper,” said Attorney General Bonta. “While the value of copper remains high, we can expect it will continue to be a target of theft and vandalism, unless we step in now and do something about it. From law enforcement to state and local government, the telecommunications industry to the business community, and advocacy organizations and nonprofits; we all have a role to play in preventing copper theft, securing our infrastructure, and protecting Californians. DOJ stands ready to support local law enforcement and work together to hold perpetrators accountable for their crimes.”

Between June and December 2024, the telecom industry alone reported nearly 6,000 incidents of copper theft and infrastructure vandalism nationwide. Roughly one-third – or 1,805 – of those incidents happened in California. Bad actors steal encased copper cables and cut them into short lengths before burning them to remove the sheathing to reveal the raw copper inside. That copper is then typically sold to scrap metal dealers, some of whom, in periods of high demand, are willing to accept the valuable commodity purportedly without knowing its origin. The ripple effect of each act of vandalism, each cable cut, is massive. From public safety to health care, energy, transportation, financial systems, IT, education, and more, life today can hardly function without the infrastructure behind communications systems. 

Copper theft and vandalism causes: 

• Disruptions to the 911 emergency system and to law enforcement operations; 
• Power outages; 
• Backups and safety hazards on public transit, freeways, bridges, and airports; 
• Service interruptions to streetlights and traffic lights;
• Contamination of water and sewer systems; 
• And disruptions to healthcare systems and schools. 

If you notice any suspicious activity, please inform your local law enforcement immediately. It is crucial to report these thefts right away to prevent widespread communication disruptions and potentially save millions of dollars in damages.

A copy of the bulletin can be found here.