Repeated Streetlight Wire Thefts Darken Roads, Drive Up Repair Costs In Sarasota County

SARASOTA, COUNTY, FL — Repeated thefts of underground electrical wire from Sarasota County roadway lighting systems are leaving stretches of road dark and creating safety hazards for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians, according to the county.

On 17th Street alone, 9,000 feet of wire was recently taken and repairs cost the county about $45,500, the county said. Meanwhile, on Bahia Vista Street, about 7,000 feet of wire was stolen, with repairs costing about $9,000.

The county is replacing copper wire with non-copper alternatives during repairs in an effort to remove the financial incentive for theft.

Still, people are cutting into the infrastructure, even as crews work to restore lighting in affected areas, officials said.

The county has been getting reports from the public about large outages.

The roadway lighting losses create a broader hazard because the system is connected in series, Stephen Smagacz, the county's supervisor of streetlights and signalization, said.

“Removing the roadway lighting makes the roads dangerous for everybody, for all motorists,” he said. “Once they cut out one light, basically all the lights follow. They’re all in a series, so everything behind that will be also out of service.”

The damage can leave long sections of roadway without lighting, Smagacz said. “I would imagine that they knocked out probably 40 lights each time they did that, which is a large section of the road.”

The county is coordinating with law enforcement, monitoring affected corridors and prioritizing repairs to restore lighting.
Residents who see suspicious activity near pull boxes or electrical infrastructure, especially at night or involving unmarked vehicles, are asked to dial 911.

They’re also asked to call the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line at 941-316-1201 to report damage discovered to electrical infrastructure or pull boxes.

Smagacz urged residents to pay attention to overnight activity near the lighting system.

“If you see people pulling wire out of the ground at 2 o'clock in the morning or 3 o'clock in the morning, this is not sanctioned by Sarasota County. These are people that are up to no good,” he said.

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