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California town outraged as traffic lights are replaced with stop signs to deter homeless people from stealing copper
Daily Mail UK ^ | May 20, 2024 | Sophie Mann

Posted on 05/20/2024 9:05:25 AM PDT by Morgana

The city of Oakland recently removed traffic lights from one busy intersection and replaced them with stop signs after the electrical boxes that controlled the traffic lights were repeatedly tampered with and copper from them was stolen.

Local residents and those who own businesses in the area say the issue with the traffic lights stems from the nearby homeless encampment, which has grown over the years.

The owner of a vehicle repair shop on the corner of the intersection, Tam Le, said the city is signaling that it is 'giving up on us,' by installing the stop signs.

It is the latest in a string of copper thefts in California. Earlier this month, videos emerged of thieves ransacking Tesla charging stations for the metal.

For months, the traffic lights malfunctioned. They either blinked red or went out completely, causing confusing and hazardous driving conditions in the area.

'The city did try to fix the traffic light at least a few times. But once they fixed it, normally within a week or so, it will go out again,' said Le, according to CBS News.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Local News
KEYWORDS: california; copper; metalthieves; oakland; theft
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How do these homeless people steal the copper wires on a live traffic light and not get electrocuted?
1 posted on 05/20/2024 9:05:25 AM PDT by Morgana
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To: Morgana

Insulated handle on the cutters. Not perfect but good enough for thieves.


2 posted on 05/20/2024 9:08:11 AM PDT by RightOnTheBorder
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To: Morgana

That’s a fair amount of work for not a lot of copper.


3 posted on 05/20/2024 9:09:52 AM PDT by BBQToadRibs2
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To: Morgana

Good question.


4 posted on 05/20/2024 9:14:55 AM PDT by No name given (Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
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To: Morgana

Babylon......er, nope....................


5 posted on 05/20/2024 9:15:28 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: BBQToadRibs2

You should see how they will demolish an air conditioner unit for just a small about of copper.


6 posted on 05/20/2024 9:15:33 AM PDT by Morgana ( Always a bit of truth in dark humor.)
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To: BBQToadRibs2

5.5 lbs, or something like that.

It’s probably not the only thing they involve themselves in.


7 posted on 05/20/2024 9:18:00 AM PDT by Jonty30 (He hunted a mammoth for me, just because I said I was hungry. He is such a good friend. )
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To: Morgana

Oakland is becoming like South Africa.

“Why are South Africans Stealing Traffic Lights?”
by SerpentZA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liqvp6FWfXI&ab_channel=serpentza


8 posted on 05/20/2024 9:18:18 AM PDT by Tom Tetroxide
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To: BBQToadRibs2

5.5 lbs, or something like that.

It’s probably not the only thing they involve themselves in.
They are diversified.


9 posted on 05/20/2024 9:19:24 AM PDT by Jonty30 (He hunted a mammoth for me, just because I said I was hungry. He is such a good friend. )
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To: Morgana

“How do these homeless people steal the copper wires on a live traffic light and not get electrocuted?”

I read that the lights are 120v. Won’t hurt unless you are grounded.


10 posted on 05/20/2024 9:24:27 AM PDT by TexasGator
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To: Morgana

Decriminalizing crime has consequences.


11 posted on 05/20/2024 9:28:20 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (The worst thing about censorship is █████ ██ ████ ████ ████ █ ███████ ████. FJB.)
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To: Morgana

The little town near me in Washington County,PA. is also getting rid of some street lights to be replaced with stop signs. It is an old Steel mill town that has seen its glory days. Penndot is doing the survey and replacing.


12 posted on 05/20/2024 9:33:17 AM PDT by 4yearlurker (Arise and shine,and give God the glory!-A trail cook's morning call.)
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To: Morgana

The term for “homeless” used to be “vagrant”. Vagrancy used to be a crime.


13 posted on 05/20/2024 9:33:26 AM PDT by who_would_fardels_bear (Kafka was an optimist.)
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To: Morgana

What is the current price to recycle copper is???


14 posted on 05/20/2024 9:36:15 AM PDT by markman46 (engage brain before using keyboard!!!)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Exactly.


15 posted on 05/20/2024 9:36:43 AM PDT by No name given (Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
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To: Morgana

The dealers who buy this “scrap” copper are not without blame, either. People don’t just find lots of copper from traffic lights and air conditioners lying around in the streets, at least nowhere that I’ve ever seen.


16 posted on 05/20/2024 9:51:33 AM PDT by HartleyMBaldwin
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To: markman46

“What is the current price to recycle copper is???”

This was first to come up under the search.

Not sure which applies to this story but you get the idea.

https://rockawayrecycling.com/metal/1-bare-bright-wire/

#1 Bare Bright Wire $4.20/lb
#1 Copper Tubing/Flashing $3.85/lb
#2 Copper Tubing/ Bus Bar $3.65/lb
Insulated Copper Wire $1.33/lb


17 posted on 05/20/2024 9:54:49 AM PDT by Morgana ( Always a bit of truth in dark humor.)
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To: Morgana

If the traffic lights in Oakland are anything like the ones in San Diego and LA Counties, they might as well all be Stop Signs anyway because you GET STOPPED AT EVERY SINGLE LIGHT ANYWAY.

None of the lights are timed to let traffic flow. You sit at a light, then it turns green and you see the next one go yellow, then red. Every. Single. Light.

If it is the middle of the night and there’s no traffic, you won’t get a green until another cross traffic car comes that can be stopped to let you go.

They also have a habit of putting in traffic lights as close as 150 feet of each other. END RANT.


18 posted on 05/20/2024 10:02:12 AM PDT by Mr.Unique (My boss wants me to sign up for a 401K. No way I'm running that far! )
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To: HartleyMBaldwin

Same story with Catalytic Converters. Which are worth a lot more than a few pounds of copper.


19 posted on 05/20/2024 10:10:34 AM PDT by woodbutcher1963
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To: Morgana

These Leftist city planners are supposed to be the smartest people in any room, but the concept of having laws against vandalism and theft (and enforcing them) evades them.

Instead, the answer is to remove the thing being vandalized and stolen and make law-abiding citizens suffer.

Astonishing.


20 posted on 05/20/2024 10:15:51 AM PDT by rlmorel (In Today's Democrat America, The $5 Dollar Bill is the New $1 Dollar Bill.)
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