LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Buying copper stolen out of street lights would be illegal across Clark County, according to a proposed ordinance, which aims to discourage thieves from selling scrap metal for a profit.
The proposed law will be introduced Tuesday. It mirrors a similar ordinance passed in September in the City of Las Vegas, with the hopes that thieves will eventually have nowhere in the Valley to sell copper — and stop stealing it from public street lights and utilities.
The ordinance bans scrap and junk dealers from purchasing “7 strand” copper, typically used by municipalities for public works. Inside street lights, the copper is covered with insulation and marked with labels. Thieves strip the insulation to disguise its origin, then sell it for cash.
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