Stop signs replace some Oakland traffic lights to deter copper theft

CBS ^ | 05 18 2024 | Da Lin

[yesthatjallen]

Oakland has removed the traffic lights from one intersection and replaced them with 4-way stop signs due to people stealing copper and then tampering with an electrical box.

It's a sight that has made drivers do a double take: a stop sign hanging overhead where a traffic light would normally be, located above the intersection of E. 12th Street and 16th Avenue in Oakland.

Neighbors said city workers removed the all the traffic lights in the last week and replaced them with four-way stop signs. The installation came after months of people stealing copper wires and tampering with the city electrical boxes that supply power to the traffic lights.

"It's just telling us that the city is giving up on us," said Tam Le, owner of Le's Auto Body & Engine Repair, located at the corner of the intersection.

Neighbors said the lights that were there before hadn't worked in months, either blinking red or being completely out.

SNIP

[Iron Munro]

It’s the democrat way.

They find ways to accommodate anti-social and criminal behavious instead of dealing with it head-on.

[ABN 505]

I used to work on heat treating equipment [repair and retrofitting] I often would get the electrical elements and retorts in my possession most of which were made of high value metal such as Ni-chrome, nickle, hi grade SS 600 range and better, Hastoloy and super grade alloys. I had a huge pile in my yard and finally had to get rid of it to make the wife happy. I brought it down to a scraper I knew would not cheat me and got a check for almost 80,000 dollars. My wife almost had a heart attack, she told me she was going to hire a guy to come clean it up if I did not get rid of it. I told her if she had done that I would have divorced her the minute i saw it was gone, she was clueless as to the value.

[ansel12]

LOL, I can’t personally confirm it but I have heard that $80,000 cash from nowhere and a clean yard does makes wives happy.

Man, I used to think my few hundred dollars of scrap was pretty exciting.

[ABN 505]

I had a good idea of the worth but it was still more than I thought, some retorts were 3 to 400 lbs each at 9 to 15 dollars a lb. You need to keep a eye on metal prices.

[ansel12]

Someone is probably reading this thread and thinking, you cleaned up the yard and could have accepted the praise and rewards from the wife, while also having $80.000 cash that she knew nothing about.

[ABN 505]

Dammit Janet! Now I am kicking myself!

[Tom Tetroxide]

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

[AF_Blue]

From the article: "The encampment stretches about three blocks on E. 12th street, between 17th and 14th Avenues. The city has made attempts to clear it previously, but it continues to grow larger."

Check Google Maps for "E. 12th Street, Oakland, CA", then find the intersection with 16th Ave. Select "satellite view" of the map, then look at E. 12th Street between 14th and 17th Avenues, and you'll see the squatters' tents.

Looks like more than "just a few", but I agree with your sentiment.