[Sixstrings]

Mike Waldron is a Sacramento construction supervisor, and is charge of leaving these specific lights on. “Oh, there’s thousands, thousands,” Waldron says describing the amount of lights left on.

The city now figures keeping them turned on will save money, by warding off copper thieves; keeping the lights on mean live wires, and the unlucky thief who doesn’t know better could be electrocuted. It’s quite a warning, from a city that’s been hit hard by the copper crime.
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2011/05/05/city-takes-unique-approach-to-detour-copper-thieves/

Huh, is it that bad in Sacramento.. they have to keep street lights on to electrocute the copper thieves.

[Revi]

This is how the grid dies. Within a couple of weeks the copper and the aluminum is stripped out of the system.

[Outcast_Searcher]

This is how the grid dies. Within a couple of weeks the copper and the aluminum is stripped out of the system.

So be long copper and which?

1). Private prison companies?
2). Leather companies? (for making the whips for the needed public floggings?)
3). Rope companies? If you can't stop 'em, hang 'em.
4). Cane companies? I think in places like Southeast Asia, caning is a deterrent for things like gangs destroying property.

I think if things get bad enough, and commodities get expensive enough, that at some point society will vote to make the punishment stiff enough that when thieves swipe public property and cause extensive damage/expense -- there is meaningful deterrent risk. (As opposed to huddling in the dark, cold and hungry).

[Outcast_Searcher]

This kind of thing isn't new -- just getting much more rampant.

Several years back in Baltimore, a friend who lived there said that streetlight theft had become rampant.

Imagine -- drive up in (I'd guess) a big truck, get out a bunch of noisy tools, dismantle the streetlight(s), drive away, and NOTHING HAPPENS -- IN THE MIDDLE OF A CITY?

Sounded to me like serious police corruption. At that time, I believe they were after the aluminum.

[TheDude]

copper theft - Google News Archive Search, timeline view. Hardly anything through 2005, then a sharp spike peaking in 2008, plunging back down but headed slowly back up last couple of years. 2011 almost equals 2006 levels.

Richmond SC reports thefts actually down a bit from last year. In Boston's South End they're stealing gutter spouts, planters, caps from standpipes, plaques. Good luck using electricity to deter there.