The Twin Cities are grappling with a surge in copper wire thefts, wreaking havoc on infrastructure and public safety. In St. Paul alone, damages have skyrocketed from $250,000 in 2019 to a staggering $1.2 million in 2023, with over 1,600 reports of streetlights stripped for copper this year. Minneapolis faces similar challenges, with thieves targeting park trails and streets, leaving darkened pathways and safety risks in their wake.
Recent arrests have shed light on the scale of the problem. In January 2024, seven suspects were charged with stealing copper wires across St. Paul, while another five were implicated in a coordinated theft ring just months later. These thefts feed into a thriving black market, with copper fetching $4.56 per pound.
Officials are scrambling for solutions, welding shut access points, installing alarms, and considering alternatives like aluminum. Starting in 2025, Minnesota’s new Copper Wire Theft Law will require sellers to obtain licenses and mandate detailed transaction records for buyers—a move aimed at crippling the black market but drawing criticism from scrap metal businesses.
Despite these efforts, copper theft remains a lucrative, dangerous trend that’s costing the Twin Cities millions and leaving residents in the dark.
