City of Las Vegas passes ordinance to crack down on copper wire thefts

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The City of Las Vegas passed an ordinance Wednesday making it unlawful to purchase scrap metal without proper documentation, in an effort to crack down on copper wire thefts.

Since October, over 100 miles of copper wire have been stolen or damaged in Las Vegas and more than $1 million in time and materials have been spent related to addressing copper wire thefts, the city said.

To crack down on this problem, the city passed a new ordinance, Bill No. 2024-22, which builds on existing law, focusing on the purchase of scrap metal whether it is from a licensed dealer or not. The ordinance makes it illegal to purchase scrap metal and seven-strand utility wire within city limits without proper documentation and payment verification. The metal also has to be transported to the purchaser by means of a motor vehicle.

Violating the ordinance will result in misdemeanors. The minimum fine for a first violation is $500 and for a subsequent violation, the fine is $1,000.

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