The Bureau of Street Lighting in Los Angeles has suffered extensive operational and safety disruptions due to systematic copper wire theft, leaving critical infrastructure like the Sixth Street Bridge and thousands of streetlights non-functional. Over 37,000 repair requests were filed in 2025, with 15% of the city’s streetlight system (37,500+ lights) affected by outages. Nearly half of these outages are directly tied to wire theft, causing 9–12-month repair delays due to understaffing (only 200 field workers for 250,000 streetlights). The financial toll includes $2.5M+ in repairs for the Sixth Street Bridge alone (vs. $11K stolen copper value), while public safety risks have surged—linked to fatal crimes (e.g., actor Johnny Wactor’s murder during a catalytic converter theft in unlit areas) and hazards like wildlife collisions, pedestrian injuries, and disabled emergency visibility. Residents have resorted to self-funding private lighting solutions, and the city is scrambling to deploy solar alternatives. The thefts also strain law enforcement, prompting new legislation (AB 476) to curb scrap metal trafficking, with penalties for recyclers and a $5K reward program for tips on felony thefts.