A series of copper wire thefts across Windsor has prompted a city councillor to urge residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity. Ward 4 Coun. Mark McKenzie is raising concerns after several copper wire thefts in his ward, including the Via Italia neighbourhood, leaving streetlights and related infrastructure damaged. McKenzie is encouraging residents to be alert and contact police if they witness suspicious behaviour. “If something doesn’t look right, call police,” he said. “If you see people around light posts in the middle of the night, let police know. If you have security cameras, share any images with investigators.” ENWIN says it has responded to multiple repair requests related to copper thefts involving streetlight infrastructure in recent weeks. The utility reports a significant increase in copper theft-related streetlight repairs compared with the same period in 2025. In a statement, ENWIN said crews have responded to incidents along Erie Street and in other areas of the city. The utility noted the extent of damage varies, with some cases involving the removal of large amounts of copper wiring and others involving damaged wiring that was not fully stolen. As a result, repair costs and timelines can vary considerably. ENWIN added that copper theft continues to be a growing issue affecting utilities and municipalities across Canada. McKenzie said attention should also be focused on scrapyards that accept stolen copper. “They must know it’s stolen material,” he said. “They need to stop accepting it, and if they’re not going to stop accepting it, we need to start cracking down on them and laying charges where appropriate.” He said the thefts carry a significant cost to taxpayers. “These individuals may only get $10, $20 or $30 for the copper, but it’s costing thousands of dollars to replace when you factor in materials and labour,” McKenzie said. Earlier this month, Windsor Police Chief Jason Bellaire also warned about a rise in copper thefts, noting the number of incidents has doubled since 2023. Anyone with information about copper thefts is asked to contact Windsor police or Crime Stoppers.
