Copper wire theft has plagued Los Angeles for years, posing a safety hazard and costing the city millions of dollars. Incidents have spiked in the last year, and city officials have stepped up efforts in recent months to curb both thieves and buyers of stolen wires, city officials said.

In the latest move, City Council members Kevin de Leon and Tracy Park introduced a motion this week to counter what they call a “huge theft” that would cost the city more than $17 million in repairs. The measure would establish a task force and create a permanent incentive program for public assistance.

“Literally, parts of the city are about to be stripped away,” de Leon's special committee motion said.

According to the motion, the task force would be a collaboration between the Los Angeles Police Department and the Office of Street Lighting, which manages approximately 223,000 street lights. “We are committed to taking all necessary measures to protect our infrastructure,” the department said in a statement.

“Keeping the lights on is our top priority,” the department said.

According to de Leon's motion, 3,738 streetlights are targeted by thieves in the Boyle Heights, Lincoln Heights and El Sereno neighborhoods. Still, LAPD Central Deputy Chief Michael Oreb said the problem is “underreported” and goes back years.

Oreb said the proposed task force is a “great starting point.” Initially, law enforcement will focus on the northeastern and southern regions of the city to assess the effectiveness of the task force. “If we see success and reductions, we will consider expanding to further areas of the city,” Oreb said.

De Leon plans to spend at least $200,000 from the Congressional District's fund to cover costs associated with the task force.

“We can no longer tolerate this brazen disregard that endangers the welfare and safety of our neighbors,” he said at a news conference. “We are taking a firm stand against copper wire theft and sending a clear message that those responsible will be brought to justice.”

City officials are also asking residents to help deter thefts by creating a permanent reward program that “allows law enforcement to more effectively solicit the public's cooperation.”

The program allows the public to submit information through Los Angeles Regional Crime Stoppers in exchange for financial compensation. The motion also required the LAPD to create a dedicated email address for reporting copper wire theft and to create public service announcements to promote the program to residents.

Park stressed that both motions are necessary to address theft.

“This issue is serious enough that it requires a multi-layered approach,” Park said.

Residents of City Council District 11, which includes Venice, Mar Vista and Westchester, are “sick and tired” of robberies, Park said.

“Everywhere we see wiring and other materials being stolen from public infrastructure,” Park said. “But it's not just public infrastructure, it's construction sites and other places as well. If we don't crack down, someone will get seriously hurt.”

Park said metal recyclers and other businesses have been informed of the rules regarding the repossession of stolen copper wire.

“What we really need to make sure is that our task force goes out into the area and conducts actual investigations and evaluates records to make sure the purchases were made legally and that there are no violations. and to pursue legal remedies if found,” she said.

The motion is one of the latest efforts taken by the City Council to combat theft. On January 9, Councilor Heather Hutt introduced a motion asking the Street Lighting Authority to consider the possibility of replacing copper wire with solar-powered lights.

“Solar-powered lighting reduces the cost of powering the city's vast streetlight network, minimizes the impact of vandalism from copper lines and power theft, and improves network reliability. may increase,” the motion states.

Mr. Hutt's motion was sponsored by City Council member Katie Yaroslavsky, who said the Sixth Avenue Viaduct in Mr. de Leon's district was destroyed after thieves stole one-third of the structure's copper wiring. It was submitted in response to the large-scale damage that occurred.

In November, City Council President Paul Krekorian and City Atty. Heidi Feldstein Soto also announced a joint venture targeting metal recyclers and recipients of stolen goods, notifying them that they must comply with the Copper Sales Act.

The goal is to “eliminate the market for stolen copper,” Feldstein Soto said in a news release.

Krekorian added: “Operators who trade in stolen copper are just as guilty as the thieves who stole the copper, and we are putting them on notice that they will be held accountable.”