Beverly Hills Hit By Copper Wire Thieves For 2nd Time
BEVERLY HILLS (CBSLA.com) — The city of Beverly Hills has been hit by copper thieves for the second time in the past several weeks.
Other parts of Los Angeles have been beset by copper thieves for some time, but until recently Beverly Hills was relatively immune.
Officials said thieves are cutting copper wires that provide power to large street lamps.
The copper is sold illegally for scrap to to recyclers.
The first theft occurred on Whitworth Drive between Rexford Drive and Robertson Boulevard.
The second theft happened Tuesday night, said the Beverly Hills Police Department. The theft occurred on Lexington Road near the 1000 block of Roxbury, near Benedict Canyon.
Police are asking the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity in or around traffic lights.
They also want the public to alert them if:
1. A section of streetlights should go off suddenly for no apparent reason.
2. They see an open access cover on the sidewalk.
3. They notice utility workers who are working at night and not wearing uniforms or safety gear.
4. They witness people not driving city-marked vehicles working on electrical equipment. Crews in Beverly Hills have shields on their vehicles numbered in the 600s, said authorities.
The attempted theft of copper wire across the nation has come with a price to some -- scores have been electrocuted since 2011 when the practice first started becoming widespread.
