Copper Theft Renders Los Feliz Neighborhood in Darkness
Residents of Los Feliz, a neighborhood in Los Angeles, are expressing serious concerns as ongoing copper thefts have plunged their streets into darkness. With street lamps and voltage boxes targeted, the safety of the area is increasingly compromised.
Thief Targets Street Infrastructure
Neighbors report that copper thieves have been systematically stealing wires from street lamps and voltage boxes. A local resident described the situation, stating, “When somebody is lifting up the covers, there are high-voltage coppers and they’re cutting all the wires,” relayed by KTLA’s Rick Chambers.
Impact on Community Safety
The thefts not only leave residents in physical darkness but pose significant safety risks. According to Julie Pascal, a local resident, the outages affect “about two streets up and down.” As a result, many neighbors express apprehension when walking at night.
John Fleck, another resident, voiced similar fears, stating, “When I go for a walk at night, you don’t want to trip and fall. We also don’t want to be robbed. There are no lights anymore.”
The absence of lighting has resulted in an uptick in burglaries, according to Barbara Wright, another resident who commented, “It scares me. I’m afraid to go out. [My neighbor] was robbed across the street not too long ago so that’s frightening.”
Another neighbor, Sarah Yun, shared, “We’ve had break-ins in our cars, and now we don’t have any lights, so we’re more fearful of what might happen at night.”
Community Response and City Action
In response to these events, residents Fleck and Randy Laborde have taken action by distributing flyers in the area, highlighting the safety risks associated with the darkened streets. Despite their efforts and complaints to local officials, residents report inadequate responses from the city.
Councilmember Nithya Raman, representing the Los Feliz area, acknowledged the issue, affirming that she is working to expedite repairs to restore lighting in the neighborhood. However, many residents, including Laborde, feel the timeframe for repairs—estimated from two months to a year—is excessively long. Laborde remarked, “If I’m paying $28,000 as half of my yearly property tax bill, can I have some lights, please?”
Residents Taking Precautions
While awaiting repairs, many residents are taking matters into their own hands. Some have installed motion detector lights in an effort to deter potential thieves. As the situation develops, community members remain vigilant, hoping for a prompt resolution to both the thefts and their associated safety concerns.
