WA allocates $12 million as Perth copper thefts disrupt road lighting network

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WA funds to fix Perth lighting

Highlights

WA government allocates nearly $12 million in the 2026-27 budget to replace stolen street lighting cables and upgrade network security.
Over 1,400 kilometres of cable stolen from the Main Roads WA network leaves more than 100 kilometres of roadway and 30 kilometres of pedestrian lighting offline.
Police increase scrutiny on scrap metal recyclers and arrest multiple suspects as thefts disrupt key infrastructure on major Perth highways and pose safety hazards.

Budget response and repair timeline

As reported by ABC News, the WA government has allocated nearly $12 million in the 2026-27 state budget to replace stolen street lighting cable and upgrade security across the network.

Main Roads WA says that as of October 2, more than 1,400 kilometres of cable has been stolen from its network, leaving more than 100 kilometres of street lighting and nearly 30 kilometres of pedestrian and cycle path lighting offline. The agency says it has already replaced 480 kilometres of copper roadway and PSP lighting cable, while re-cabling and re-energising more than 500 individual poles.

Main Roads director of metropolitan operations James Pinnington says the recovery program is expected to take several years. He says replacement works now include measures intended to make it harder for thieves to access conduit systems and steal cable again.

Police crackdown and wider risks

This week, police charge three people over separate alleged copper theft incidents, as authorities increase scrutiny of scrap metal recyclers. Police say a 31-year-old man allegedly stole more than 190 metres of telecommunication cable from Gidgegannup over the King's Birthday long weekend in September, after about 500 kilograms of copper was pulled from the ground at a Telstra site and later sold to a scrap metal recycler.

Mundaring sergeant Tony Signal says the theft had a significant impact on Gidgegannup and nearby areas. He says recyclers are legally required to record second-hand copper dealings, but police believe compliance is slipping through the cracks.

Police Commissioner Col Blanch has also warned that organised crime groups try to bypass those controls when offloading stolen metal, including by moving scrap overseas when they cannot sell it locally. Street lighting infrastructure remains a target, with police this week arresting a 41-year-old man and a 50-year-old woman after a report of suspicious activity near Tonkin Highway in Ellenbrook, where officers allege they found a significant amount of stolen insulated copper wiring.

Main Roads is prioritising cable replacement and anti-theft treatments on Kwinana Freeway, Tonkin Highway and Reid Highway, with further works planned along Forrest Highway, Great Northern Highway, Mitchell Freeway, Roe Highway, Albany Highway, Ennis Avenue, Mandurah Road and Armadale Road. Pinnington says the thefts create hazards not only for motorists and path users, but also for technicians who must secure and de-energise damaged sites.

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