St. Paul city leaders advocate for new legislation to help curb copper thefts
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Thieves are slicing copper wires for a little cash. It's become so common in St. Paul and other cities, public works crews are struggling to keep the lights on.
On Tuesday, a streetlight was out at Sylvan Park, right across the same street where neighbors blame another broken light for a deadly crash in December of 2023.
"It doesn't feel safe," Winston Kimani said.
Kimani and live near the park. WCCO first met them last August when their streetlights were out.
"The last time we spoke they fixed the lights maybe a week or two later, and then they were on for probably a week and a half, then they were out because somebody stole the copper wires," he said.
The growing issue extends to neighborhoods across the city. In 2019, the city said wire theft cost them $250,000 in repairs. In 2023, the cost jumped to $1.2 million.
"It's a huge financial cost. It's a huge cost for anyone who wants to walk around in our parks or someone who lives on a street where a copper wire has been stolen two, three times," St. Paul Public Works Director Sean Kershaw said.
The St. Paul Police Department held a community meeting Tuesday night to update residents on efforts to curb the problem and implore them to report any suspicious behavior. The city has tried numerous tactics to deter criminals, such as labeling wires, keeping streetlights on, and soon, they will raise the access panels.
"We need the community to pay attention to who is in the neighborhood and what they're doing, because we are never going to be able to be at all these locations," St. Paul Police Deputy Chief Kurt Hallstrom said.
The city is now advocating for legislation that would require anyone buying or selling copper to have a license issued by the state, similar to Minnesota's catalytic converter laws.
"We think that will make it less advantageous for people to steal and sell the copper wire that's having this awful impact on the citizens of St. Paul," Kershaw said.
Kimani hopes his lights this time will stay on for good.
"For about six months now we're good so I'm not complaining, but knock on wood because they could be gone tomorrow," he said.