Street Lighting

Wire Theft FAQs

1. What are some things the City has done to prevent and deter wire theft from the street lights?

   City crews respond to all reports of damaged street lights and make sure there are no safety hazards to the public. Staff continue to try a number of different things to prevent and deter wire theft from street lights, including: 

   • Welding, epoxying, and banding access panels 
   • Using security bolts and screws to close and secure the access panels 
   • Keeping streetlights on, or “daylighting,” to keep the wires electrified during the daytime
   • Using smaller gauge wire, which would be less valuable for theft and resale 
   • Labeling our wire with “City of Saint Paul” to identify the ownership for authorities and recyclers
   • Silent alarms 
   • Exploring changing street light fixtures to solar and/or using overhead wires 
   • Considering changing street light fixtures to aluminum wiring 
   • Piloting high access panel street lights (coming in 2024) 

   All of these efforts have not prevented wire theft from street lights in Saint Paul. Some efforts have resulted in additional damage to the street light fixtures and/or just temporarily “moved” the thefts to another part of the city.  

2. Why are people stealing copper wire?

   Market Demand! Since 2020, the price for scrap copper metal has been at all-time highs. As of March 18, 2024, copper metal was valued at $4.13 per troy ounce. According to scrapmetal.com, which tracks state averages paid for materials at scrap yards in Minnesota, bare #1 copper wire scrap is being purchased for an average of $3.65 per pound.

3. Is there anything that can make the cover panels harder to remove?

   The City continues to try various approaches to make accessing the panels more challenging, including welding, epoxying, banding, using security screws, and/or bolting panels shut. Unfortunately, this has not yet decreased theft. In many cases, thieves have caused more damage attempting to gain access to more "secured" bases by using larger tools and sometimes even vehicles to force open the panels. This has often caused additional damages to the street light fixture, internal conduits and entire circuits. No matter what is done to “harden” the street light fixtures, they are still broken into.

4. Has the City explored solar as an option for powering the street lights?

   The City has researched and explored solar lighting options. Although solar lights have the potential to be sustainable in some specific circumstances, Saint Paul’s tree canopy and snow cover create complications that prevent it from being a wide-scale solution. In addition, there could be issues with solar lights creating enough energy for consistent street light output (without dimming) during the winter months.

5. Are there other wire materials, like aluminum, that can be used instead of copper?

   The City has explored the idea of using aluminum wiring in some street lights, but has opted not to pursue this option for several reasons. First, there would be an increase to overall costs to maintain the system. Second, aluminum would reduce the reliability of existing circuits and components for most of the City's street lights. They would likely need to be retooled or possibly replaced in their entirety to make a switch to using aluminum wire. Finally, changing the wire type would also likely require the use of a heavier aluminum wire, compared to the thinner gauge copper wire being used now. Aluminum wire still has resale value, and is not likely to decrease the current rate of wire theft.

6. What can the public do to help stop and prevent wire theft?

   1. If you see something, say something. Call 911! Report suspicious behavior or activity around street lights, traffic signals, EV chargers, utility vaults, or private property. With the help of the watchful eyes of Saint Paul residents and business owners, the Saint Paul Police Department has caught and arrested thieves.

   2. Join Camera Watch. Registering your residential or business security camera and coverage information with the Saint Paul Police Department can help create safer neighborhoods for all. Your information is kept confidential. With this voluntary program the police department does not have access to your cameras but keeps a record of active cameras throughout the city. They may reach out to owners if and when needed.

      Register your camera

   3. Reach out to your legislators to thank them for supporting the proposed copper wire legislation and encourage others to as well. 

      Find your legislator

7. Who can “work” on City of Saint Paul street lights?

   In Saint Paul, the street lights are mostly owned and maintained by the City, not the utility company. The only people who can work on street lights in parks or the public right of way (e.g. boulevards) are city staff from Public Works or Parks and Recreation Department – depending on location. 

   If you see anyone “working” on the street lights – at any time of the day – and there is not a City of Saint Paul vehicle within view, please report it to the police immediately at 911.  

8. My neighborhood is dark because of wire theft. It doesn’t feel safe. What can we do?

   The Public Works and Parks Departments respond to all reports of wire theft and damaged/non-working street lights. They will make sure that the fixture is safe and secure and there are no additional safety hazards to residents.

   City staff repairs damaged street lights as quickly as possible. Please be patient as there continues to be a backlog of wire theft damage throughout Saint Paul. 

   Please note during the winter months, internal conduits can freeze and crews are not able to re-wire or fix street lights until the ground thaws in the spring. City staff are trying to take advantage of the warmer winter weather we have been experiencing to re-wire and fix lights as they are able.

   To keep neighborhoods from being dark due to the street light wire theft, we recommend that people turn on house, porch and/or garage lights. When walking outside, people can carry a flashlight or headlamp when possible. 

9. Why are some street lights on in an area and others are out?

   Saint Paul street lights are on circuits (or a group of street lights). Wire theft not only strips the wire from the street light, but can also affect all the downstream street lights on that particular circuit. Depending on the type of damage, City staff might only be able to get one or two lights up and working on a circuit without more intensive repairs to the individual street lights. 

10. How much has wire theft cost the City in recent years?

    Please note the numbers below represent the total REPAIR costs for fixing damaged street lights due to wire theft but does not indicate the total amount of current damage to street lights throughout Saint Paul. 

     

    For Public Works Department: 

     

    	Lighting	Signals	Total
    2023	895,585.48	204,008.02	1,099,593.50
    2022	453,171.51	0.00	453,171.51
    2021	294,494.29	0.00	294,494.29
    2020	104,595.66	0.00	104,595.66
    2019	100,386.47	0.00	100,386.47

    For Parks & Recreation Department: 

    • 2023- $93,000* 

    • 2022- $298,000 

    • 2021- $300,000 

    • 2020- $72,000 

    • 2019- $150,000 

    • 2018- $116,000 

      * as of 11/27/23

    Additional estimated costs by Parks (replacement of poles, improved theft mitigation solution, etc.)- $240,000 

11. How many street lights does Saint Paul have?

    City of Saint Paul has more than 42,000 street lights. Public Works maintains more than 32,000 street poles with approximately 37,000 lights. There are 16 different types of light fixtures throughout the city, with the most common being one of the several “lantern” styles.

    The Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Department maintains more than 5,000 street lights in parks and park facilities.

12. Where is wire theft occurring in Saint Paul?

    Wire theft from street lights continues to be a growing challenge for Saint Paul and other cities throughout the country. We have seen wire stolen from city property throughout Saint Paul; however, parks and quieter, less-traveled streets have had wire repeatedly stolen, sometimes within days. Wire theft from street lights has occurred from different styles of street light fixtures throughout the City. 

13. When can I expect my street light to be fixed?

    Depending on where the street light is located, either the Public Works lighting division or Parks Maintenance division will inspect all reports of damaged and non-working street lights. They will make sure there are no safety hazards to residents and that the fixture is safe and secure. 

    Please note during the winter months, internal conduits can freeze and crews are not able to re-wire or fix street lights until the ground thaws in the spring. City staff are trying to take advantage of the warmer winter weather we have been experiencing to re-wire and fix lights as they are able.

14. I collect my copper and then sell it to scrappers for a few dollars. Would I need to get a license?

    People can always drop off copper metals for free to have them recycled. 

    Currently, the proposed legislation language requires anyone who is selling copper metals to have a state-issued license. Legislators in the House and Senate have only had one reading of the proposed bill so far this session. The authors shared they are open to a discussion about how to best address concerns related to those who bring in a small amount of scrap copper wire for sale. A date for a second reading has not yet been set.