BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) -- The sheriff's office is cracking down on copper wire theft.

For years copper wire has been a prime target for low-grade thieves looking to make a quick buck on the backs of local businesses. County supervisors today adopted revisions to a proposed ordinance in response to demands by business owners to get tough on wire theft.

The new ordinance would target those who aren't connected to legal businesses and 10 pounds or more of "commercial grade" scrap metal, which "highly correlates" with theft, according to a letter sent by the sheriff's office to the Board of Supervisors.

"The objective is to stop people from stripping copper wire out of different areas, telephone poles, pumps," said Sheriff Donny Youngblood. "They go out and they strip copper wire and ca

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