Proposal: Buying copper stolen from street lights would be illegal in Clark County
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.
Hundreds of public works sites throughout Clark County have been targeted by thieves since 2022. Close to a million feet of copper wire has been swiped from street lights and utilities, officials recently told FOX5.
“There really is no good reason for an individual to be walking around the streets carrying this stuff. It’s used by municipalities, by Clark County, fairly exclusively," said Commissioner Michael Naft, who started the legwork on a Valley-wide ordinance months ago. “What the ordinance will do is make it more difficult for an individual to sell to those scrap dealers,” he said.
According to the ordinance, 7 strand copper can be bought from permitted government employees and licensed businesses. If a wire is stripped or “burned,” the seller must provide proof that they own the copper or have a reason for modification.
Dealers can only buy from individuals pulling up in vehicles-- not approaching a scrapyard on foot or carrying copper in a shopping cart, the proposed ordinance states.
Violation of the ordinance can result in a misdemeanor, with a fine up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail. The county’s business department can pursue civil penalties. The dealer’s license can also be revoked.
“There’s some really good actors in town who are doing wonderful things, who are following every law, who are doing their best not to purchase this illegal material. But there’s some who are operating in the gray area, and have no worries about buying illegal material. That’s who we really want to get after here," Naft said.
FOX5 called several scrap metal dealers in town. One told FOX5 that it has implemented the policies in anticipation of the ordinance’s passage. Another tells FOX5, it has stopped accepting copper from the public, and will only accept copper from a licensed contractor or business.
After Tuesday, businesses can submit their feedback on the proposal.
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