Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office and ADOT officials are asking the public to remain alert for suspicious activity involving wire theft when travelling late night/early morning hours especially along major roadways where side streets or on/off ramps intersect under overhead lights.
Several incidents involving wire theft are currently under investigation:
September 7, 2017 – Prescott Valley – ADOT reported more than 8600 feet of copper wire stolen from junction boxes north and south of Lakeshore Drive at Fain Road. These boxes supply power for the street lamps along the east side of Fain Road. Dollars loss estimate including labor to reinstall was placed at $10,000.
September 20, 2017 – Prescott Valley – same area as above, except targeting the west side of the roadway. ADOT reported more than 15,000 feet of 8-gauge cooper wire stolen from the streetlight array at the intersection of Fain Road and Lakeshore Drive. 10,000 feet of the stolen wire wrapped in black insulation and 5,000 feet wrapped in green insulation. Dollar loss estimated at $9350.00.
November 13, 2017 – Prescott Valley – ADOT reported the theft of 8000 feet of cooper wire from junction boxes between Granite Dells and Great Western Drive in Prescott Valley. Loss estimated at $5000.
December 18, 2017 – Seligman – ADOT reported the theft of 600 feet of 8-gauge cooper wire covered with black insulation. The theft likely occurred sometime in recent weeks at the west bound on ramp for 40 in Seligman involving wiring for street lights. Loss estimate not provided.
Additionally, Prescott Valley Police Department has at least one additional cooper wire theft case reported as does the Yavapai Tribal Police involving a theft near the VA Hospital on Highway 89 in November or December of this year.
On December 11, 2017, at 9 AM, deputies were dispatched to a copper wire theft at Cold Water Canyon and I-17 in Black Canyon City. Personnel from ADOT told deputies they noticed the lights over the I-17 south on ramp were not working and upon inspection, discovered the connecting wire had been removed from the power box. Further inspection revealed that #6 stranded cooper wire was pulled from the power box to a junction box south of Cold Water Canyon Road. Additionally, #8 copper wire was pulled from the junction box to the lights and its terminus into a junction box east of the on ramp. A total of 1700 feet of #8 copper wire and 35 feet of #6 stranded copper wire was stolen.
ADOT personnel believe the theft occurred sometime between December 1, 2017, and December 11, 2017. The estimated loss, including labor to reinstall the stolen wiring, is $5000.
YCSO is seeking anyone with information on this theft to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 928-771-3260 or Yavapai Silent Witness at 1800-932-3232. A tip to Silent Witness leading to the arrest of a suspect in this case becomes eligible for a cash reward. Refer to case number 17-044177.