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MDOT: Thieves using their cars to snatch copper out of interstate lights

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - The Mississippi Department of Transportation is calling on local law enforcement to catch those who are stealing copper wire out of interstate and city lights.

Brad White, the executive director at MDOT, says the thieves are driving up to these sites, hooking their cars to poles and pulling them out of the ground. Industrial Lamp

MDOT: Thieves using their cars to snatch copper out of interstate lights

The thieves have recently gone to the I-55 Pearl Street Exit and stolen 2,500-feet worth of copper wire, which he says is valued at about $13,000 to replace. This is not including maintenance and subcontractors.

According to White, this has being going on for more than a year.

”You know, you get to a point where you’re spending thousands of dollars to replace something and, at some point, you have to ask yourself, ‘When are we going to stop that?’” said White. “So we are looking at options about how we are going to handle this in the future, how do you prevent it. I’ve had conversations with Chief Bo Luckey with the Capitol Police, and we filed the proper paper work, and we are looking for ways to step up law enforcement presence; trying to provide a better avenue to catch them.”

White says more than 150 lights are out in the Capitol City because of these criminal activities. If you see anyone committing these crimes, you are asked to call the police.

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MDOT: Thieves using their cars to snatch copper out of interstate lights

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