Copper thieves repeatedly target Oak Cliff, disrupting internet for weeks.
DALLAS — For thieves in North Texas, copper is gold.
“If I see those devices hanging, I already know what to expect when I go into the house,” said Barbara Fluker, an Oak Cliff resident as she pointed out electrical wires hanging in her backyard. She said copper thieves have cut wires in her neighborhood at least three times in the past year.
“So, that means we’re going to be out of the internet maybe a week, maybe two days, maybe three days. Sometimes, it has lasted as long as two weeks,” said Fluker.
It is not just her neighborhood. Over the past year, WFAA has spoken with residents in the RedBird area, Northwest Dallas and Garland.
“You can see the big wires, the big loop thing just hanging in the middle of the road,” said Fluker.
Carolyn King Arnold, Dallas City Council Member, said she has even gotten a call about power outages because of copper theft. “Electrical wires can also be dislocated as well. That can cause residents to lose their power,” said King Arnold representing District 4. “It does have a domino effect because eventually, it gets down to the pocketbook.”
She said copper thefts have become an organized crime. “They’re able now to employ individuals. We understand that there are some homeless individuals who are a part of the network because they’re paying them to do lookout. You have individuals who are renting trucks,” said King Arnold.
She told WFAA that part of the problem is that the theft is a misdemeanor. “Right now, they get a slap on the wrist when they’re caught and then they move on,” said King Arnold.
She is working with state representatives to change that. She also said they need residents to safely report when they see copper theft happening.
Both King Arnold and Fluker also want to see improvements to above-ground wiring. “I think the wires, first of all, need to be raised higher than what they are,” said Fluker.
City leaders said if you see something, say something and always call 911 first.
