The 6th Street Bridge in Los Angeles, a $588 million project known as the “Ribbon of Light,” lost its luster for the holidays as about a third of the bridge’s lights are inoperable, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The bridge and its ten illuminated arches became an instant hit on Instagram and TikTok when it opened in July 2022, and a popular place for families, runners, wedding photo shoots — and copper thieves.
Lights are out on a few of the 6th Street Bridge arches as thieves have been stealing copper in Los Angeles on Friday, December 22, 2023. Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News | Getty Images.
In December, copper thieves targeted the bridge, which caused a large portion to go dark. Photos show open boxes with wires on the ground.
The FBI has been warning the public that copper thieves are “threatening US critical infrastructure” since 2008.
A city councilman told the Los Angeles Times that about $500,000 of discretionary funds have already been used to fix lighting hit by copper thefts.
“We understand the impact of these thefts on the community, and we are committed to taking every necessary step to safeguard our infrastructure and maintain the safety and reliability of our city’s lighting systems,” read a statement issued by the city’s public works department, per local outlet ABC7.
Wires pulled out of dozens of electrical boxes along the 6th Street bridge arches as thieves have been stealing copper in Los Angeles on Friday, December 22, 2023. Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News | Getty Images
The bridge is more than a half mile long and connects the city’s Arts District to Whittier Boulevard and the historic Eastside.
Los Angeles has been hit with a spate of copper thefts over the years that have affected infrastructure, including delaying Metro rail cars. The city has about 1,200 open cases of suspected wire thefts, and the damaged infrastructure has not yet been repaired, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Authorities are still assessing the damage.
