BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Though improvements are being made, City officials say Bakersfield continues to spend thousands on infrastructure repairs and maintenance due to ongoing copper wire theft. This issue, now drawing attention state-wide.
- Zachary Meyer, Bakersfield’s Public Works Director, said the city has seen a decline in copper theft incidents, but the problem persists.
- Since January, Bakersfield has replaced at least 47 damaged utility boxes, manholes, and fixtures—costing the department nearly $15,000.
Though improvements are being made, City officials say Bakersfield continues to spend thousands on infrastructure repairs and maintenance due to ongoing copper wire theft. This issue, now drawing attention state-wide.
“We still see it,” said Zachary Meyer, Bakersfield’s Public Works Director. “But over the last four to five years, we’ve invested in vandal-proof pull boxes, manholes, and even manufactured steel cages around fixtures.”
Those efforts are showing results. Meyer said the city has seen a decline in copper theft incidents, but the problem persists. Since January, Bakersfield has replaced at least 47 damaged utility boxes, manholes, and fixtures—costing the department nearly $15,000.
“It takes up staff time and resources that should be used for general maintenance,” Meyer said. “It hurts our ability to keep up with everything else—streetlights, traffic signals, facility electrical.”
To deter theft, the city is also switching to aluminum wiring in some areas. While aluminum has a lower street value and is less likely to be stolen, Meyer said it’s not a perfect solution.
“It’s a last resort,” he said. “It requires more frequent maintenance than copper.”
Meyer noted the city continues to expand streetlight coverage in unlit areas, which are considered higher risk for pedestrian and cyclist accidents. The east side of Bakersfield sees more frequent vandalism, he said, though no specific neighborhood is consistently targeted.
The issue has also caught the attention of state officials. On Monday, California Attorney General Rob Bonta convened a statewide roundtable of business leaders, law enforcement agencies, and community groups to address the rise in copper wire theft.
“This issue is not just limited to L.A. County—it’s impacting communities throughout California,” Bonta said. “Copper thieves—sometimes individuals, often organized—are stealing wire and selling it to scrap dealers.”
According to Bonta, California ranks fourth in the nation for metal theft insurance claims. From June to December of last year, telecom companies reported more than 5,700 theft and vandalism incidents across the country—affecting an estimated 1.5 million customers.
In Los Angeles County alone, copper theft has knocked out streetlights in multiple neighborhoods and cost the city more than $17 million in repairs. Other communities, including Vallejo, Kings County, and Tulare County, have reported incidents disrupting schools, agriculture, and water systems.
“These crimes hurt law-abiding Californians—the taxpayers who foot the bill,” Bonta said, adding that his office is pursuing both legislative and enforcement-based solutions.
Meanwhile, in Bakersfield, Meyer said the city will continue upgrading infrastructure and adapting to evolving threats. “We’ll keep making those investments,” he said.
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