Light rail Copper wire thieves.

air3s mini 5 pro Thieves targeting copper wiring along the Sound Transit 1 Line — especially between Federal Way and Angle Lake Station — have disrupted light rail service multiple times recently. Most recently (overnight Feb. 19–20), stolen copper caused a temporary shutdown of service Friday morning, with trains stopping around 6:30 a.m. and resuming just before 11 a.m. while repairs were done. In another incident earlier in February, the line was again affected when thieves cut wiring, including during a busy period (the Seahawks Super Bowl parade commute), causing power issues and delays. Sound Transit has responded by increasing security, adding more cameras and monitoring, and investigating these incidents. Why this is happening: Copper is valuable as scrap metal, and thieves will sometimes cut and remove wiring to sell it for cash — a problem not unique to the Seattle region but seen on transit systems nationwide. These thefts don’t just cost money; they interrupt service, inconvenience riders, and pose safety risks. Legal & policy efforts: Local lawmakers have discussed bills (such as House Bill 2213) aimed at tightening scrap metal reporting and holding periods to deter such thefts — though at least one bill recently didn’t advance out of committee. Impact on riders: During disruptions, Sound Transit often implements bus bridges or shuttle buses between impacted stations so riders can continue their trips. Repairs are typically completed the same day, but recurring thefts remain a challenge.