Copper wire thieves plunge LA’s Miracle Mile into darkness: ‘The city’s not making it a priority’

Copper wire thieves shut off the lights on an iconic stretch of Wilshire Boulevard in the heart of the Miracle Mile — a major museum and business corridor in central Los Angeles, according to a report.

The bandits ripped electrical lines from streetlight poles, leaving entire blocks without lighting Monday night, residents told CBS News.

Multiple streetlights were out along Wilshire Boulevard between Highland Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard, with open utility boxes showing signs of tampering.

Another stretch between Cloverdale Avenue and Detroit Street was also completely dark, neighbors told CBS.

“Entire blocks are not even lit, and it doesn’t seem like there’s any hope to get them rewired in the near future,” a nearby resident named Jay told CBS.

The resident said he’s been reporting outages along Miracle Mile since last spring, yet no lights have been restored nine months later.

“How are we supposed to host the Olympics when we can’t even keep the lights on?” Jay said, referring to the 2028 Games. “It’s insane. I’m looking forward to the Olympics, but I also want some street lights.”

Requests for streetlight repairs have doubled across Los Angeles, largely because of copper theft, and the city has spent an estimated $2.5 million fixing stolen wiring, including damage on the Sixth Street Bridge, a CBS Los Angeles investigation in October 2025 found.