Copper wire theft leaves Hunting Park football fields dark, disrupts practices
Copper wire thefts leave youth teams to practice without lights in Philly
Copper wire theft in Hunting Park, North Philadelphia, leaves youth athletes in the dark as officials work on repairs and theft prevention measures.
PHILADELPHIA - Copper wire theft in North Philadelphia's Hunting Park has knocked out field lights, leaving young athletes like the Philadelphia Aztecs without proper lighting as they prepare for playoffs, according to officials.
Lighting outages disrupt youth football and community safety
Officials said copper wire theft is a big and ongoing issue across parks, recreation centers, trails and public spaces in Philadelphia. Mitchell Brown, co-founder of the Philadelphia Aztecs, said his team has still been practicing as they get ready for championships even without field lights. Parents have brought their own lights so players could keep up with practice.
"You are getting ready for championships and playoffs and you have no lights," said Brown.
Commissioner Susan Slawson said the thefts are happening often and are not minor.
"It is not a small number that we are talking about. It is huge and it is constant," said Slawson. Some lighting at Hunting Park has now been repaired.
Repairs for the stolen wires have cost taxpayers millions of dollars, according to city officials.
While the people stealing the copper only get pennies for what they take, officials say replacing wires needs heavy equipment and time.
The city is now switching from copper to aluminum wire and is trying out tamper-resistant gear to keep the problem from happening again.
Brown said keeping lights on is about more than sports. He believes safe fields help give young people a place to be.
"Not just our program, but every program deserves the bare essentials to keep the kids off the street," said Brown.
What's next:
Philadelphia Parks & Recreation officials are urging people to call 911 if they see anyone stealing wire from park lights.
Officials say repairs related to wire theft have cost taxpayers millions of dollars.
Some lights at Hunting Park have already been repaired, according to officials.
The Source: This article contains information from interviews with Mitchell Brown, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation officials and statements from Commissioner Susan Slawson.