North Texas is experiencing a drastic rise in copper thefts, with criminals targeting utility lines and risking their lives in the process, according to the Garland Police Department (GPD).
Alleged thieves have been caught on camera appearing to climb utility poles and cut live cables, sometimes posing as legitimate workers clad in reflective vests and hard hats, according to a WFAA report.
“This spike has recently occurred in the last several months,” Garland Police Lt. Pedro Barineau told the outlet. “Prior to this, it was almost nonexistent.”
Barineau noted that the thieves were risking death or serious injury from electrocution as the cables are typically situated about 20 to 30 feet above the ground. “If they cut the wrong cable, they could likely die,” Barineau warned. (RELATED: Copper Wire Thieves Cost Blue City Hundreds Of Thousands Of Dollars: REPORT)
The copper thefts have also occurred in other areas in North Texas, including Dallas, Fort Worth and Arlington, WFAA reported. Arlington police reported an increase in copper thefts in 2024 compared to prior years.
These copper thefts do not appear to be the work of a large, organized group but isolated acts committed by individual thieves, according to Barineau.
The financial impact of these crimes is significant. When a utility line is cut, it disrupts phone and internet service and costs providers thousands of dollars in repairs, WFAA reported. One alleged thief reportedly caused an estimated $10,000 in damages.
The dangers of these crimes are not limited to Texas. A man was electrocuted and killed in Richmond, California, and police suspect he might’ve been trying to steal copper from an underground vault, according to NBC Bay Area.
The explosions and a power outage affected over 1,500 customers.