Seattle Bench Warrant Issued for Copper Wire Thief

Authorities issued a bench warrant for 47-year-old Gregory Galitzeck after he failed to appear in court.

Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Crime — General

Bold flat-color editorial illustration depicting a coiled copper wire against a steel beam, symbolizing infrastructure theft. — A Seattle court issued a bench warrant for Gregory Galitzeck after he failed to appear for charges related to infrastructure-damaging copper wire theft. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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A court issued a bench warrant for Gregory Galitzeck on July 7, 2026, following his failure to appear for a scheduled appearance regarding copper wire theft charges. Police had previously arrested the suspect on the West Seattle Bridge on June 27, 2026.

Why it matters

The warrant follows criminal charges filed on July 1, 2026, for malicious mischief and criminal impersonation related to an incident that caused significant infrastructure damage.

A bench warrant was issued on July 7 after the defendant failed to attend court on charges of first-degree malicious mischief and criminal impersonation. Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound is currently offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information.

The players

Gregory Galitzeck

The 47-year-old suspect is currently wanted on a bench warrant following charges of theft and criminal impersonation.

Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound

This regional organization is offering a financial reward for tips that lead to the apprehension of the suspect.

Seattle City Light

This public utility provider is the entity the suspect allegedly impersonated to gain unauthorized access to city infrastructure.

The details

Prosecutors allege Galitzeck impersonated a Seattle City Light employee to access the bridge with tools and a flashlight. The theft of copper wire resulted in an estimated $1,000 in stolen goods but caused approximately $100,000 in infrastructure damage.

A bench warrant for Galitzeck's arrest was signed on July 7, 2026.
Criminal charges were filed against Galitzeck on July 1, 2026.
Police arrested the suspect on the West Seattle Bridge on June 27, 2026.
The first warrant for Galitzeck's arrest was issued in 2008.

Legal Context

The issuance of this bench warrant marks a continuation of a legal pattern established since the 2008 start of the suspect's arrest warrant history. This case follows a broader local trend of prosecuting individuals who target public utility infrastructure for metal theft.

Residents should remain aware of the suspect's description, as Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for information that leads to an arrest. Increased security measures may be implemented around local utility infrastructure to prevent further criminal impersonation attempts.

The takeaway

Copper wire theft often results in infrastructure damage costs far exceeding the value of the materials stolen. Authorities encourage the public to verify the credentials of any utility workers requesting access to restricted city infrastructure.