San Joaquin County, California, has more reported copper wire theft than any other county in the country, according to local officials. Thieves there have taken down 911 phone lines several times this year.
Rep. Josh Harder, a Democrat who represents the area, wrote to FBI Director Christopher Wray on June 15, 2023, to say he will introduce a bill. It follows a first letter in May demanding more information and resources from the bureau. In the second, Harder described the county as “the epicenter of this criminal activity.”
His bill would do three things: hold groups that buy stolen copper accountable, increase surveillance and prevention, and fund a study of what copper theft does to critical community services. He said it will need close coordination between the FBI and local police.
“If you dial 911 in an emergency, you should be able to trust that your call will go through and you will get help,” Harder said. “Criminals are destroying lines and downing critical infrastructure to make some quick cash without a care in the world about the safety of our families.”
Arrests so far
Local police have not been idle. Over six weeks, officers in Harder’s district arrested several people found with stolen wire who are thought to be tied to the thefts. Harder praised the work and said police need more resources and backup.
Nor is the problem confined to California. The letter points to arrests in Pennsylvania the previous week over the theft of nearly $15,000 in copper wire.
Harder’s office ties the trend to the price of the metal, comparing it to the earlier wave of catalytic converter thefts. Copper resells for $2 to $4 a pound, but repairing damaged phone lines and other infrastructure costs far more. He said he has been talking with law enforcement and telecom companies as he drafts the bill, and called for “an all-of-government approach.”
