Copper thefts in Denver
Posted on 1st August 2024 at 16:35
At least five reports of copper wire theft has been reported along the Regional Transportation District's (RTD) light rail lines especially near track signals, switches and rail crossings. The agency has noted that most thefts are occuring along the route of the R line and happen at night.
Each incident has resulted in significant impacts upon the service including delays, technical failures and the need to replace services with shuttle buses.
The agency notes the thefts resemble a similar trend of thefts in 2022. In response, the agency embedded copper wiring in railroad crossties, installing wodden covers and greasing the wires to make them less valuable. They also piloted installing tracking systems to the copper coils across the system.
In the U.S and Canada, multiple transit agencies have recently reported an increase in copper wire thefts.
Denver RTD commuter rail train (RTD)
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