LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – Just after announcing a new task force aimed at reducing copper wire thefts, the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) has arrested a man for stealing wire out of a highway lighting pole.
According to the police citation, a witness had seen 44-year-old Jack Gibson stealing copper wire from a highway lighting pole on Adams Street in Butchertown two days in a row and called police. Police said Gibson was wearing construction gloves often used to protect hands from stripping wire when they found him.
The suspect was arrested and is now charged with theft and criminal mischief.
The arrest comes a day after city officials announced a new task force aimed at reducing these types of crimes in Louisville.
“We need for the public to remain vigilant and report any copper and wire theft they see in a timely manner,” LMPD Deputy Chief Ryan Bates said.
WAVE News also spoke to an employee at Advance Ready Mix, a nearby cement company, who said he had also seen someone stealing copper wires and called police earlier in the week.
So far in 2024, LMPD has responded to more than 300 reports of metal theft with many of those crimes involving copper wire. That is also why local leaders are looking for ways to get rid of copper wire altogether. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) recently implemented its new solar lighting pilot project.
“That, then, makes it very much less attractive to these thieves,” Maryellen Mynear, KYTC inspector general, pointed out.
According to Mynear, that project costs around $200,000, which she said is more cost-effective than replacing the copper wires every time someone cuts them.
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