Police seek help as wire thefts continue to dog Gig Harbor and environs

A rash of wire theft in Gig Harbor is costing the city money and resources, about $3,000 or more per theft.

Gig Harbor Police Department’s public information officer, Jeff Martineau, says wire thefts have been occurring for years, but an increase of copper wire theft in the last six months has sparked a bigger investigation.

“Unfortunately it comes down to recycling facilities in the area which will give them cash, quick cash, for copper wire,” Martineau said. “Right now it’s an ongoing investigation. It seems like it’s always ongoing. We are trying to find out who's involved, what groups are involved in these thefts in the city.”

The city of Gig Harbor is not the only victim of these wire thefts. Gig Harbor High School was hit by the thieves in April, the third time copper wire has been stolen from the upper athletic fields in six years.

“We had about eight-inches-thick cement,” athletic director Bob Werner said. “They just get under there with crowbars and stuff. I don’t know how many guys they had working on it.”

In April, three electrical boxes were dug up and the wiring removed, according to a Gig Harbor police report. The wire was valued at approximately $1,000. The cost to repair the lights was estimated at $60,000. School officials asked for extra patrols because they were afraid the suspect might come back for the other lights’ wiring.

“We are also seeing thefts along the state route here,” Martineau said. “There is a huge amount of wire theft in Tacoma, too.”

Martineau said there is a possibility the thefts in Tacoma are linked with the thefts in Gig Harbor. The distance between the cities is not far, so the Gig Harbor Police Department has been working with Tacoma police on its investigation.

Preventative measures

On Borgen Boulevard in Gig Harbor, large rocks have been placed along the side of the road near the sidewalk. It's not an aesthetic choice of the city, Martineau said, but a preventative measure to stop wire thieves from entering the underground electrical boxes.

On May 24, A Gig Harbor officer was called to Borgen Boulevard at 10 a.m., according to a police report. The officer spoke with a city employee who said 300 feet of No. 8 wire was stolen from multiple electrical boxes on the sound end of the 5200 block of Borgen Boulevard, totaling $1,000. The wire connects multiple city lights. There was no suspect at the time of the report.

Martineau says the most interesting part of the theft was that it possibly was executed during the day.

“Most people think thefts happen at night, which they do, but we have had people call in saying they see a suspicious truck with no emblem from a construction company on the side of the road,” Martineau said. “And they thought that was kind of odd. We responded but the person was gone. So there is the potential this person or persons are acting like they work with the state, but in reality they do not.”

Martineau said the thieves most likely have some type of electrician or electrical-engineering background because stealing live wire from the city and school district is highly dangerous.

“If they snip the wrong wire, they could be electrocuted,” Martineau said.

$23,952.19 in lost wire

The city of Gig Harbor is not unfamiliar with wire theft.

According to numbers provided by City Clerk Molly Towslee, there have been 12 recorded wire thefts from the city since 2009. Out of those reports, 10 included the cost of the wire stolen. Those 10 thefts have cost the city $23,952.19.

Gig Harbor Public Works Superintendent Ken Andrews said those numbers only reflect the cost of the actual wire. For each incident, Andrews said it costs an additional $1,500 to $2,000 to make repairs and pay staff for additional hours and administrative work.

"Sometimes we can claim them on our insurance and get partial reimbursement," Andrews said. "But that’s also a detriment to our insurance rates we pay. All the loss gets paid by the general fund (in the city's budget.)"

Martineau said the wire cut from city utilities affects light poles, traffic signals and more.

“It causes a lot of problems,” he said.

There have been a number of recent wire thefts.

On May 18, a Gig Harbor police officer was contacted by a city employee saying copper wire had been stolen from a city work project. The employee said two unknown suspects entered the work site of a Ceccanti Incorporated road project on Harbor Hill Drive and Sentinel Way. The suspects stripped about 10 light poles of 50-75 feet of copper wire from the new lamps being installed. The wire's estimated value was $5,000 to $10,000, according to a police report.

Police seek help

On May 25, Gig Harbor police posted a statement on its Facebook page about the copper wire thefts. Martineau says the department is hoping to elicit the help of the community to catch those who are stealing the wire.

“If anyone sees a truck or a vehicle with no signs or emblems, they shouldn’t be afraid to call,” Martineau said. “If the person is a legitimate worker, they won’t mind having us stop and ask them.”

Stealing wire from the city is counted as a felony charge since the cost of the wire is significant, Martineau said, even if recycling companies don't pay that much for the wire.

“I’ve been involved in situations where we caught guys taking scrap wire from construction companies,” he said. “When asked, it ends up they only get about $20 for this wire. Is $20 worth the criminal record? I don’t think so.”

This story was originally published June 20, 2018 at 10:00 AM with the headline "Police seek help as wire thefts continue to dog Gig Harbor and environs."