California Attorney General Rob Bonta held a roundtable in San Jose with local law enforcement, business leaders, utilities, and state and local officials to address the ongoing issue of copper wire theft and infrastructure vandalism. This meeting is part of a statewide initiative aimed at tackling the rise in such crimes across California.
The state has experienced an increase in copper wire thefts, which have resulted in neighborhoods losing power, telecommunication and utility outages, impacts on businesses and agriculture, and risks to public safety. During the roundtable, Attorney General Bonta referred to a law enforcement bulletin released earlier this summer that outlines California laws related to copper wire theft as well as regulations for junk dealers and recyclers regarding copper transactions.
“Thieves who seek to profit from stolen copper wire aren’t just committing a crime, too often they are damaging critical infrastructure and endangering our communities,” said Attorney General Bonta. “While the value of copper remains high, we can expect copper wire will continue to be a target of theft and vandalism — which is why we are bringing together Northern California leaders today to discuss collaborative solutions. From law enforcement to state and local government, the telecommunications industry to the business community, and more: we all have a role to play in preventing copper theft, safeguarding 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, nearly 6,000 incidents of copper theft or infrastructure vandalism were reported nationwide by the telecommunications industry. About one-third of these cases—1,805 incidents—occurred in California. Thieves typically steal encased copper cables, cut them into short pieces, burn off their sheathing to expose raw copper inside, then sell it to scrap metal dealers who may overlook its origin during periods of high demand.
Copper theft leads to several problems including disruptions in emergency services like 911 calls; power outages; traffic issues on roads and public transit; interruptions in streetlights; contamination risks for water systems; out-of-service electric vehicle charging stations; as well as disturbances within healthcare systems and schools.
Authorities urge anyone noticing suspicious activity related to potential copper thefts to contact local law enforcement immediately. Prompt reporting is essential for minimizing communication breakdowns and reducing financial losses caused by these crimes.
A copy of the law enforcement bulletin summarizing relevant statutes can be found here.
