Copper wire stolen from Salt Lake City schools

SALT LAKE CITY — Five schools in the Salt Lake City School District are dealing with copper wire thefts. The principal of Glendale Middle School said somebody ripped the wiring out of three of their outdoor lights in the middle of the night, on the night before Thanksgiving.

Liberty, Rose Park, and Parkview Elementary Schools, along with Hillside Middle School, are dealing with similar recent thefts. At Glendale, three of the outside lights aren’t working.

“That is another impact,” said Glendale principal Ashley McKinney. “But I think overall we’re looking at the cost to the community with the repairs because we will have to hire out the repairs for this and it will be costly.”

McKinney said two people were seen on surveillance footage prying open the panel to the wiring, then ripping out the wiring while sparks went flying.

Student safety and cost to schools are concerns after copper wiring theft

Other concerns McKinney notes involve student safety.

“With days getting shorter right now, we want to make sure to provide adequate lighting for our teachers and students and to make sure that our facilities are safe.”

Rewiring the outdoor lights will take time and money. The poles are anchored by cement which has to be broken in order to lift the pole and rewire it. McKinney said it’s a frustrating situation.

” I think we’re all here to serve the community and to make sure that we do the best in the name of our students. And we want to continue to provide awesome amenities and resources and facilities to our families and students.”

The cost to the schools remains unknown. Salt Lake City police ask anybody who has information to contact them.

Simone Seikaly contributed.

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