Los Angeles copper wire theft is leaving communities in the dark. How is it getting fixed?

As surging copper wire thefts are leaving many Los Angeles communities in the dark, a new statewide metal theft law set to kick in next year is aimed at recyclers who buy the stolen metal.

Los Angeles city leaders, law enforcement and business leaders called on Governor Gavin Newsom to sign Assembly Bill 476 "Metal Theft," as copper wire theft has cost communities not only money, but safety.

The Sixth Street Bridge in downtown Los Angeles, originally called the "Ribbon of Light," is a glaring example, as it sits in darkness with seven miles of copper wire stolen and stripped from the 2023-built bridge.

While the stolen copper is valued at $11,000, repairs to rewire it for lighting are estimated to cost over $2.5 million – and have yet to be completed.

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