(Albuquerque)-The city of Albuquerque is taking steps to prevent copper wiring thefts from the city’s light poles. Just in February alone there were thefts of copper wiring that added up to 16-thousand dollars …more than a quarter of all the street lights in Albuquerque. City officials tell the Associated Press that in just over two years, billing for copper thefts in Albuquerque has topped 800-thousand dollars. Mayor Tim Keller says the absence of street lights can be a danger for drivers and a burden to taxpayers.
The city is now working with a lighting contractor to reinforce the lighting poles and switch out copper wiring with less valuable aluminum wiring. In some parts of town, they’ve welded shut the street light access doors and added stickers to light poles warning thieves it’s a waste of time to try to steal copper wiring.
