Copper thieves are putting Tulsa drivers at risk and costing tax payers millions.
Hundreds of streetlights on the city’s major highways are not working and some travelers see this as a big problem.
“If it's hard to see, especially on a night like this, it would be dangerous,” Michael Bontrager, concerned driver said.
Copper thieves are to blame for the problem, stealing wire and selling it for scrap.
“They've been having problems with these thieves for quite a while.”
BAM Recycling Owner Clifford West says there are red flags to watch out for. Like customers not having an electrician license.
“If they don't have a card, but they have 300 pounds of wire, they're going to be asked where they are getting it from,” West explained.
West reports suspicious activity to police, that's lead to eight arrests.
So far, copper thieves have stolen 29 miles of wiring from city lights, costing taxpayers $2.4 million dollars to fix.
“We have found $500,000 to start the worst areas,” Councilor Jeannie Cue said.
Highway 75, I-44 and I-244 will be some of the first places to get attention. The city can only afford to fix part of the problem right now, due to a tight budget.
Their main focus though is on deterring thieves by adding cheaper aluminum wire and installing lights out of reach.
“When it's in the center median, they found it's a lot harder to steal that copper,” Cue said.
The work to fix the lights will begin in a few months.
