‘A good thing’: New rules target copper wire theft in Las Vegas Valley

Clark County is implementing new rules on scrap metal recycling as part of an effort to crack down on the trafficking of stolen copper wire, including the type typically used in street lights.

The rules, included in an ordinance unanimously approved by commissioners Tuesday, could affect up to 137 licensed recyclers and secondhand dealers, according to a business impact study. They put recyclers in unincorporated Clark County in lockstep with state law, the city of Las Vegas and other municipalities.

The measure was introduced to alleviate a yearslong issue of the metal theft, especially copper wire found in streetlights, according to the county.

“Staff from our Public Works Department is working to keep the streetlights on every day in our local neighborhoods, but thefts continue,” Clark County Commission Chairman Tick Segerblom said in a statement. “This ordinance will make it harder for thieves to sell stolen wire, and we hope it will make our streetlights less of a target for theft and vandalism.”

New provisions

Among the new rules are requirements that anyone selling scrap metal transport it to the recycler in a vehicle, according to the ordinance. Metal brought in on foot or in a cart cannot be purchased.

It prohibits businesses from buying copper wire that has been burned — a process used to remove wire insulation — unless there is documentation proving the metal wasn’t stolen, the ordinance said.

“Such documentation may include without limitation an affidavit from a seller or the person delivering the wire, or a declaration under penalty of perjury, regarding the lawfulness of the acquisition and burning of the wire,” the ordinance said.

Unlicensed metal sellers may only be paid by check or electronically, according to the ordinance.

There will also a 10-day hold for such transactions.

‘It’s a good thing’

Jason Randall opened Champion Recycling 13 years ago within the city of Las Vegas, which passed a similar ordinance earlier this year.

“It’s a good thing,” he told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “Anything that we can do to help combat theft is definitely something we’re going to try to do.”

Randall said Nevada already had stringent rules that his business has always followed, but that the city’s ordinance is more specific.

“With restrictions, it’s going to make it less attractive for (thieves) to get a quick buck,” Randall said.

He explained that the metal in question is “still a common wire.”

Even so, the 10-day hold gives police time to investigate questionable sales, since it sometimes takes days for a theft to be reported.

Before the ordinance passed, Randall said, his business already required fingerprints, a signature and photos of the material before it could be sold.

That data is uploaded to the database Las Vegas police can access.

“It’s going to help,” he said about the ordinances, noting that a similar crackdown on purchases of catalytic converters has eased the problem of catalytic converter thefts.

“We’ve always worked with Metro closely to catch these guys; but now with this extra law, we think that all of the recyclers are going to be required to be more stringent and selective on how they’re buying,” Randall said.

Broad enforcement effort

The ordinance allows enforcement of its rules by the Metropolitan Police Department, the county’s business department and “any other officer or employee designed by the County Manager.”

Buying illegal copper can lead to files of $500 for a first offense and $1,000 for subsequent violations.

“The penalties … are not exclusive and shall not limit any other rights or remedies which may otherwise be available at law,” according to the ordinance, which said the county’s business department also can take administrative action.

The ordinance contains “prohibitions and limitations regarding the purchase of scrap metal, including seven-strand copper wire commonly used in municipal or utility operations,” according to the county. “The additional requirements regarding documentation and payment are intended to discourage illegal activity and facilitate enforcement, while helping to preserve and protect facilities that rely on copper wire.”

The county proposal has been in the works since June.

In a social media post, Commissioner Michael Naft said that thieves had stolen more than 1 million feet of copper wire within the county since 2022, “leaving too many residents in the dark.”

The business license department publicized the proposal and sent letters to licensed businesses, chambers of commerce and trade associations, but received no responses requesting a workshop, the business impact study said.

Copper has been stolen at more than 300 places, the county said. “As our staff works to keep the streetlights on and makes repairs every day, new locations of wire theft continue to occur.”

Staff have limited access to covers where wire is present by welding them shut or installing locks. They also have installed the wiring overhead, making it more difficult to access.

Clark County has begun aluminum wiring instead of copper, said officials, noting that the county had hired half-a-dozen electricians to work on repairs. It has also been experimenting with solar powered streetlights that eliminate the need for copper wiring.

Copper Theft by Las Vegas Review-Journal on Scribd

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.