ROSEVILLE, Minn. — Over the weekend, more than 18,000 feet of copper wire were stolen from dozens of outdoor light poles in Roseville's Central Park.
The City of Roseville said in a news release that copper wiring was stripped from 27 light poles between Lexington Avenue and Victoria Street on Saturday and could cost more than $70,000 to repair.
"This is particularly disheartening because so many residents rely on Central Park for physical activity and mental rejuvenation, especially during the fall and winter when the days are short,” said Roseville Parks and Recreation Director Matthew Johnson in a release. “We will do everything in our power to get this repaired as quickly and efficiently as possible, but it will be a significant undertaking."
Copper wire thefts have been on the rise over the past few years, and have cost taxpayers millions to repair. St. Paul Rep. Athena Hollins and Sen. Sandy Pappas introduced a new bill in April to require Minnesotans to get a state license to buy and sell scrap copper wiring. The bill passed and will go into effect Jan. 1, 2025.
"People are stealing copper because a small number of businesses are looking the other way and not asking questions when they buy stolen copper," Rep. Hollins told reporters back in April.
Sen. Pappas said the goal of the bill is to remove the marketplace for stolen copper wiring, adding that licensed electrical contractors would be automatically licensed to sell scrap copper wiring, and do-it-yourselfers would be allowed to donate leftover copper to recyclers.
"Residents and businesses would still be allowed to recycle copper with scrap metal companies for free, and the thieves who’ve been gutting our public utilities will be locked out of the market where they earn most of their money," said Pappas.
