Mayor Cherelle Parker’s administration says it is cracking down on copper wire theft, following a series of recent incidents that have left athletic fields and parks without lighting.
The thefts, targeting streetlights and other fixtures, have disrupted youth sports programming and presented public safety concerns at Hunting Park, Bartram’s Garden and Houseman Recreation Center, among other locations, city officials said. Restoration, they added, is expensive and time-consuming.
"This has to stop,” Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Commissioner Susan Slawson said in a statement Friday. “Our children deserve better than to show up to their neighborhood fields and find them in the dark because someone has stolen the wiring.”
Municipal workers are installing anti-theft hardware at the base of light poles that is more difficult to remove, and the city’s Streets Department is moving from copper to aluminum, according to the administration. Officials said aluminum has about a fifth of the scrap value, compared to copper.
At some sites, crews will install cable at the top of poles, meaning thieves would likely need specialized equipment to remove it, the city stated. The Streets Department is also developing software that could alert staff and police when someone is moving wires without authorization, officials said.
"An underground copper trade in greater Philadelphia is taking a toll on the city,” City Councilmember Quetcy Lozada, of the 7th District, said in a statement. “Copper wire theft is an urgent crisis for our Parks and Rec fields.”
Lozada went on to say that there “is also a coordinated effort to crack down on scrap yards.”
First District Councilmember Mark Squilla introduced legislation in early 2025 that would require individuals to obtain a license before selling scrap metal. The bill has not advanced out of committee.
Residents are encouraged to call 911 if they spot thefts in progress or other criminal activity. Damaged electric boxes and streetlight outages can be reported through 311.
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