THE City of Melville has been sparked into action after about $30,000 worth of copper cabling was stolen from John Connell Reserve in Leeming.
The Melville Gazette reported last week about how thieves stole about 400m of the cabling between January 2 and 3.
City chief executive Marten Tieleman said lockable electrical pit lids were being installed, as a preventative measure, in response to the local theft.
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READ NOW“We are now looking at the feasibility of rolling out such a program to the City as a whole,” Mr Tieleman said.
“Works began earlier in January; however as we are currently considering a City-wide installation program it would be too soon to predict a completion date.”
The theft knocked out of action the reserve’s floodlights, affected local casual users and sporting clubs that train at the oval.
Mr Tieleman said the City of Cockburn had also undertaken similar preventative measures to help reduce the theft of copper pipes and cables, which is a problem across Perth.
“Local Government Insurance Services also reported an increase in the theft of copper pipes and cables during an 18-month period in their spring 2019 newsletter, reporting that 32 claims had been lodged by WA local governments, equating to payments of over $1 million,” he said.
Copper cabling at Alan Edwards Reserve in Kardinya was also targeted last August, but that was the only other recent local example.
The City of Melville expects repairs at John Connell Reserve to take three weeks. Anyone with information about the crime should call police.