CA attorney general joins forces with local law enforcement to combat surge in copper wire theft

CALIFORNIA – Attorney general Rob Bonta issued a bulletin, June 5, outlining state statutes on copper wire theft, citing a surge in such crimes in recent years.

According to Bonta, between June and December 2024, the telecom industry alone reported nearly 6,000 incidents of copper theft and infrastructure vandalism nationwide.

Roughly one-third – or 1,805 of those incidents happened in California.

“My office won’t tolerate anyone vandalizing critical infrastructure and endangering our communities to make a buck off of stolen copper,” said Bonta.

Copper theft causes disruptions to the 911 emergency system

Bad actors steal encased copper cables and cut them into short lengths before burning them to remove the sheathing to reveal the raw copper inside, according to the attorney general’s office.

That copper is then typically sold to scrap metal dealers, some of whom are willing to accept it purportedly without knowing its origin.

Bonta says the ripple effect of each act of vandalism is massive.

Copper theft and vandalism causes:

Disruptions to the 911 emergency system and to law enforcement operations;
Power outages;
Backups and safety hazards on public transit, freeways, bridges, and airports;
Service interruptions to streetlights and traffic lights;
Contamination of water and sewer systems;
And disruptions to healthcare systems and schools.

Causing over $400 in damage can result in a felony vandalism charge

Penalties for copper wire theft in California depend on the circumstances.

Stealing copper worth less than $950 is typically charged as petty theft, punishable by up to six months in county jail.

If the value exceeds $950, it may be charged as grand theft, which carries stricter penalties, including fines.

Causing over $400 in damage during the theft, regardless of the wire’s value, can result in a felony vandalism charge.

Junk dealers must keep written records of sale or face a misdemeanor

The bulletin also provides statutes for junk dealers and recyclers.

The Penal Code mandates junk dealers to collect the seller’s full name, signature, address, driver’s license number, vehicle license number, and license number of the vehicle delivering the copper wire.

They also must maintain those records along with a written record of sale for at least two years.

Failure to keep written records of these transactions is a misdemeanor.

Junk dealers and recyclers are required to report records to the police or sheriff daily or by the next business day, excluding weekends and holidays.

To read the full bulletin visit https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/media/2025-dle-12.pdf