Philadelphia leaders cracking down on copper wire thefts

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Lights are back on in Philadelphia’s Hunting Park neighborhood after copper wire thieves left parts of the area in the dark.

City leaders said the thefts have affected recreation centers, parks and other public facilities throughout the city, driving up repair costs and creating public safety concerns.

Mitchell Brown, who has coached youth football in Hunting Park for decades, said the thefts have taken a toll on local programs.

“These kids can’t even practice at the park,” Brown said.

While athletes dealt with rainy conditions Friday night, Brown said darkness caused by missing lighting has long been a challenge.

“I’ve lost 90% of my volunteers this year because I don’t have lights,” Brown said.

Brown joined city officials as they detailed a coordinated effort to crack down on copper wire theft. Officials said the thefts are affecting youth programs, compromising public safety and costing taxpayers money.

“They’re getting pennies; it is costing the city of Philadelphia millions of dollars,” said Parks & Recreation Commissioner Susan Slawson.

To address the problem, officials announced several planned security upgrades.

Anti-theft hardware will be installed on infrastructure, copper wiring will be replaced with less valuable aluminum cable, and wiring will be moved from the base of poles to the top to make it more difficult to access.

The streets department is also working with their lighting management system vendor to develop software that would alert officials to movement or unauthorized access to cabinets and panels.

“Our goal is simple: detect these incidents sooner, respond faster, and prevent theft whenever possible,” said Streets Department Commissioner Kristen Del Rossi.

Officials said copper theft has been occurring throughout the city, with an increase beginning in the spring.

In April, repeated thefts and vandalism at Bartram’s Garden left part of the Schuylkill River Trail without lighting after sunset.

“Bartram’s Garden experienced so much theft that Commissioner Del Rossi actually had to come in and help parks and rec fund it,” Commissioner Slawson said. “It was about $800,000 to repair the lights, and the trail lights down at Bartram’s Garden.”

There were also three targeted late-night shootings earlier in the year, two of them fatal, in or near Hunting Park.

“It’s a crime prevention tool: well-lit areas, a lot of visibility, you can always see what’s going on. It’s important for the neighbors as well,” said Police Deputy Commissioner Mike Cram.

As youth football players took the field Friday night, community leaders expressed hope that the city’s coordinated response will be effective in deterring criminals.

“They need to think about the damage they’re doing to the community,” Brown said.

Slawson also urged residents to report copper theft when they see it and called on scrap facilities not to accept stolen wire.

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