PHOENIX — Copper thieves have struck again on the I-17, leaving stretches of the freeway dark during the morning commute.
ABC15 saw the lights out periodically from about Cactus Rd. to Indian School Rd.
The Arizona Department of Transportation confirmed that thieves who stole copper wire from light fixtures are to blame.
“In addition to in-house technicians, ADOT currently has three companies under contract to perform repair work in multiple locations throughout the Valley. These repairs are being worked into a schedule with other projects and we expect these repairs will be completed over several months,” an ADOT spokesperson said.
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ABC15 viewers have raised concerns about copper theft targeting Valley freeway light fixtures for years now.
In January on 2026, ADOT said it was in the early stages of developing a sensor-based program to detect when lights go out so law enforcement could attempt to catch thieves in the act.
ADOT has since confirmed that the program is operating and expanding, saying about 1,900 sensors have been deployed across the Valley and have already helped catch nine thieves in the act.
In the meantime, the agency is urging drivers to make sure that their headlights are on and to always expect the unexpected while driving.
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