Portion of 6th Street Bridge goes dark after thieves steal copper wires
A third of the lights are not working, according to officials.
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A large portion of the 6th Street Bridge known as the "Ribbon of Light" has gone dark after thieves stole some of the structure's copper wiring.
City officials said they're unsure when the copper wires were stolen but said they first noticed the thefts about two weeks ago. As of Thursday, a third of the lights are not working, according to officials.
The city said the Bureau of Street Lighting maintains the streetlights on the bridge, but given the complexity of the infrastructure, they must collaborate with the Bureau of Engineering and the Department of Water and Power to come up with a long-term solution to protect the lights.
Repairs are also being planned for several circuits citywide, the city said.
"We understand the impact of these thefts on the community, and we are committed to taking every necessary step to safeguard our infrastructure and maintain the safety and reliability of our city's lighting systems," read a statement issued by the city's public works department.
Meanwhile, residents are being asked to report any suspicious activities or a streetlight outage through MyLA311.lacity.org or by calling 311.
