LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Streetlights have been stripped of about 200 miles of copper wire by thieves over the last few years in Clark County.
Clark County Commissioners are making big changes to put a stop to this crime and ensure street lights stay on.
As an emergency response, County Commissioners allocated $1.2 million for a contractor to help. Since January they have also spent half a million dollars for additional crews from Public Works to get all the lights back on throughout Clark County from Laughlin and Searchlight to Overton and Moapa Valley.
“Every asset that we have is being utilized nearly around the clock,” Clark County Commissioner Michael Naft told FOX5.
To boost repairs, Clark County has hired eight new electricians and added a swing shift. Now the lights are being repaired morning, day, and night.
“We are just so pissed off that this is continuing to happen in our community, that we are really doing everything imaginable,” Naft revealed.
Naft says while the county is making repairs as quickly is it can, they need the community’s help to stop the huge issue of wire theft.
“If you see somebody who looks like they probably shouldn’t be working on a street pole, that they’ve popped a cap and that they’re actively pulling wire from it, that’s in a crime in progress. That’s something that you can call and we encourage you to call 911 for,” Naft explained.
Naft hopes to prevent future repair work through legislation like stiffer penalties for copper thieves and the recyclers who buy the stolen material.
The county is also taking other proactive measures like welding pole access shut and using a copper alternative, aluminum wire, which is far less like to be stolen out of the repaired streetlights.
Clark County wants you to report suspected theft and outages so they can get it repaired.
When you do report, if there’s more than one light out mention that and it will take priority. Report suspected theft or outages online at FixIt Clark County or http://ClarkCountyNV.gov/FixIt
Even more money to fix street lights throughout Clark County is coming.
The county says Phase Two of this repair push, $2.5 million, is coming in fall 2025.
Copyright 2025 KVVU. All rights reserved.
