FOX23.com
Reported by: Ian Silver Email: isilver@fox23.com
Updated: 7/15 6:27 pm Published: 7/15 6:16 pm
If you driven on I-244 on the northern or western sections of the Inner Dispersal Loop at night lately you've probably noticed it's pretty dark. The street lights in the area have been off for several months now, and thieves are partially to blame.
As part of the construction project on the IDL, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation updated the street light system in the area. But over a period of several months, thieves stole copper wiring from the lighting system in sections, adding up to nearly a mile worth of wire.
Now the state has to pay to replace the wiring at a cost to taxpayers of roughly $50,000.
The lights would have been turned off anyway because of the construction project, but the copper theft has slowed down the project. While crews have been working, the thieves have been busy finding ways to get around security.
"It's kind of frustrating, especially when people work hard for their taxes... we have to pay taxes, and just to take it, it feels like stealing from you, too," Quinn Thompson said. "I mean, it kind of stinks." FULL ARTICLE & WATCH VIDEO
Posted on
Fri, July 15, 2011
by John Cox