Tough penalties for wire theft weighed

CARSON CITY — Nevada lawmakers on Friday debated a bill to boost penalties for thieves who steal copper wiring and then peddle it on the street or to recycling firms.

The Assembly Judiciary Committee was told that copper theft cost the Las Vegas Public Works Department more than $450,000 in 2007 alone, and a stretch of U.S. Highway 95 in Southern Nevada was without lights for several months because copper was stolen from lights along the highway.

"As a firefighter, I have been involved in fighting fires that likely were the result of someone stealing copper wire and pipes," said Assemblyman John Oceguera, D-Las Vegas, who introduced the bill.

Matthew Frazer, representing electrical contractors in Reno, said copper wire thieves have made it tough for him to complete installation of freeway signs that alert drivers to treacherous road conditions or missing persons.

"We feel this is critical to the public, and we’ve had jobs that we couldn’t finish because people were stealing the copper faster than we could finish," Frazer said.

The bill would step up regulation of scrap metal processors, and prohibit buyers from purchasing scrap metal from a seller who lacks a valid business license. It also would require processors to keep a record book of each purchase of scrap metal.