--- title: "Copper Wire Theft Is So Bad, Rhode Island’s Blocking Manholes With 700 Pounds of Concrete" date: "2026-11-02" modified: "2026-11-02" authors: - name: "Adam Ismail" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/adam-ismail.md" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/copper-thieves-keep-stripping-streetlight-wires-these-700-pound-concrete-blocks-should-help" categories: - "News" --- # Copper Wire Theft Is So Bad, Rhode Island’s Blocking Manholes With 700 Pounds of Concrete ![Concrete block on manhole cover in Rhode Island as pickup truck drives by]() *\NBC 10 WJAR via YouTube\* The Rhode Island Department of Transportation has turned to a somewhat strange but simple solution to combat theft of the copper wires that power streetlamps: Covering their access covers with almost-immovable chunks of concrete. Call it low-tech, but it appears to be working. RIDOT began placing these blocks on top of manhole covers over the last few months to protect wiring. RIDOT Interim Director Robert Rocchio told *NBC 10 WJAR* that the state has lost more than $1 million in stolen copper, though he neglected to say over what timeframe. "\[The thefts\] started a few years back when copper prices went up significantly," Rocchio said. "It's a constant battle—we restore it, they steal the copper, we go back in." That's harder to do now in the Ocean State, though. The concrete blocks in question weigh 700 pounds and require equipment to move. Rocchio said the plan has worked so far, but then, how could it not? RIDOT aims to install 151 of these in total, and 87 have already been done. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erI7cPM4YIE The program's total cost was $75,000. (Not $*750,000*, thank goodness, as the video segment above claims; *WJAR* later issued a correction in its [written version]() of the story). On or near roads, the concrete is buried or ground down to lay flat; off the roadway, it sticks out like a sore thumb. Copper wire theft is indeed a national problem that extends far beyond Rhode Island—from [Philadelphia](), where stolen wires have left a youth football team to practice in the dark, to [California](), where AT&T recorded 4,300 thefts of its own wire last year alone. The telecom giant is driving an [awareness campaign]() and offering monetary rewards in multiple states for individuals with information about related investigations. "What they typically do is they cut the cable down, they'll pull it to a location, and they start working on stripping it," Scott Gonzaga, of AT&T's construction and engineering division, told *[NPR]()* in June. "Then they burn it to get the sheath off and to get it down to the bare copper," before selling or recycling the metal. *Got a news tip? Reach out to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Adam is a Senior Editor at The Drive, concentrating on curating and developing the site's slate of daily journalism, from initial pitch to final copy edit. When he's not at his desk researching leads and working with writers, he's testing vehicles or reviewing racing games, new and old. He joined The Drive in 2023, following seven years of covering consumer technology and cars. A car lover and gamer since his earliest memories, Adam came to know the automotive world through video games. First it was Daytona USA, Sega Rally, and Ridge Racer; then came Need For Speed, which inspired an encyclopedic knowledge of '90s supercars, and, of course, Gran Turismo. If not for them, he'd assuredly be doing something else right now. Adam is based in the suburbs outside Philly, where there are ample roads for his hot hatch to stretch its legs. In his car, he's probably listening to indie rock, drum and bass, or Yankees baseball. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]() ## More - [Interstate Closure Will Force Detroit Commuters Onto City Streets for Two Years]() - [BMW Just Launched a Huge Online Encyclopedia, So There Goes Your Friday Afternoon]() - [Renault Is Giving Away Its Proprietary Tech to Stop EV Fires Quickly]() - [Subaru Driver Survives Car Getting Skewered Sideways by a Guardrail]() - [Rivian Will Sell Its Cute EV Vans to Businesses That Aren’t Amazon Now]() - [Infiniti Is Offering Up to $16,000 Off Its Flagship QX80]() - [Wolverine DuraShock SR Icon: A Benchmark in Work Footwear]() - [Scout Warns VW Dealers Fighting Direct Sales That It’s Not Playing Around]()