Reward Increased for Thieves of Copper Wire from Highway Lights
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has increased their reward for information leading to the arrest of those stealing copper wire from highway lighting systems.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has doubled their reward, in the battle against thieves who are stealing copper wire from interstate highway lighting systems.
The offer is now $5,000 for information leading to arrests and prosecution of the thieves, whose crimes already have caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages.
Transportation Secretary Jim Gray said the stolen wiring has to be replaced, broken lighting systems have to be repaired, and it is ultimately the taxpayers who are left with the bill.
The Louisville area has been especially hard hit where officials estimate thieves have stripped light poles and junction boxes of about 94,000 feet of copper wire.
The nearly 18 miles of stolen wire has an estimated value of close to $380,000.
Kentucky Transportation is now partnering with the Kentucky Department of Homeland Security to hopefully bring a stop to the copper wire theft.
