St. Paul Police Arrest Three for Copper Wire Theft

Officers used a surveillance drone to catch suspects stripping streetlight poles at a local intersection.

Updated on Oct. 23, 2026 in Property Crime

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a single streetlight pole, representing the vulnerability of municipal infrastructure to theft. — St. Paul police arrested three suspects for stealing copper wire from city streetlights, a recurring issue costing millions in repairs. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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St. Paul police arrested three men after catching them tampering with streetlight poles at Hyacinth Avenue and Arcade Street. The suspects were apprehended following surveillance by an officer in an unmarked vehicle and the deployment of a docked drone.

Why it matters

The theft of copper wire from municipal infrastructure has caused widespread streetlight outages and resulted in millions of dollars in repair costs for the city. Local officials continue to balance the effectiveness of surveillance technology against public concerns regarding its deployment.

The Ramsey County Attorney's Office has charged all three suspects with three felony counts each, with one individual facing additional gun-related charges. Police successfully recovered a firearm, a pry bar, and bolt cutters at the scene of the arrest.

The players

Ramsey County Attorney's Office

This office is the prosecuting authority responsible for filing felony charges against the three men arrested.

St. Paul Parks and Recreation

This municipal department manages city park facilities and has suspended streetlight repairs due to ongoing theft.

St. Paul Public Works

This agency oversees city infrastructure maintenance, including the repair of streetlights damaged by copper theft.

St. Paul City Council

This local governing body holds legislative authority over the city budget and recently voted against expanding the police drone program.

The details

Authorities tracked the suspects using a drone after spotting exposed wires at the intersection, eventually following one individual who attempted to flee on foot. St. Paul Public Works has spent $3 million on theft-related repairs across 2024 and 2025, while the city's parks department has temporarily halted light restoration efforts.

St. Paul police began using drones for incident response in 2023.
Public Works spent $2 million on theft-related repairs in 2024.
The department began its current docked drone program on May 30, 2026.
Police identified exposed wires at the intersection on October 18, 2026.
Officers arrested the three suspects on October 19, 2026.

Legal Context

The use of drones by the St. Paul Police Department is a subject of active debate, highlighted by the City Council's recent rejection of a proposal to expand the program. The arrest demonstrates the operational utility of this surveillance technology in responding to property crimes within the city.

Residents may continue to experience prolonged streetlight outages in city parks as repairs remain suspended. The incident serves as a reminder of the heightened security presence in affected neighborhoods where municipal property remains vulnerable to tampering.

The takeaway

Copper wire theft continues to strain municipal budgets and limit public lighting access for residents. Local authorities remain focused on utilizing surveillance tools to mitigate the impact of these ongoing infrastructure crimes.