Government

Wire Theft Awareness & Prevention

Preventing Copper Theft and Streetlight Vandalism in Tukwila

As copper prices remain elevated, copper theft is a growing concern in Tukwila, impacting public safety, increasing repair costs, and leaving neighborhoods in the dark. Thieves are targeting underground utility boxes, streetlight access panels, and electrical wiring for valuable copper.

The City of Tukwila is actively working to address these incidents, but we also need your help in identifying and reporting suspicious activity.

 

Activities to Watch For

Criminals may disguise themselves as utility workers and operate in the early hours or late-night hours, but many dress in normal attire. Be on the lookout for:

  • Individuals working on streetlights or utility boxes without marked City of Tukwila vehicles, or Public Works logos.
  • The thief may drop something, such as a bicycle or construction cones, over the junction box to hide their activity.

 

Report a crime in progress to the Tukwila Police Department by dialing 911

The criminal(s) may return after dark to finish. Look out for:

  • Loose or missing wiring along sidewalks, roadways, or near streetlights.
  • Junction boxes embedded in concrete, soil, or grass that appear broken, open, or exposed.

 

Report exposed wiring to the Public Works Streets Department at (206) 433-1860 or Report an Issue through Tukwila Works.

 

 

More than just wire

Comcast and Lumen have also experienced damage as they can share the same conduit or junction box, and thieves will cut through fiber optic cables by mistake causing thousands of customers service outages and significant repair costs.

 

Repair Prioritization

  1. Repairs that can be quickly fixed during the initial public safety inspection
  2. High pedestrian or traffic use areas (major roadways, school zones, intersections)
  3. The order of when outages were reported.

Damage from vandalism or copper theft may take longer to repair, as it often requires full wiring replacement.

 

(Video) King County grapples with telecom wire thefts, urging public vigilance amid rising outages

 

Stay wired, Not Wanted – Stop Copper Theft