with police warning the dangerous crime has already claimed lives. Queensland councils are facing millions of dollars in repair costs as copper theft continues to cripple critical infrastructure across the state, leaving major roads unlit and disrupting telecommunications and community facilities. According to the Local Government Association of Queensland, the growing problem is placing a significant financial burden on councils while creating serious public safety risks.

Matthew Vanderbyl said police had recorded 51 copper theft incidents in the southern region — including Ipswich and Toowoomba — in the six months to May 2026. The thefts have caused prolonged streetlight outages along major roads in Logan and Ipswich, forcing motorists to drive in darkness for months. Authorities say the crime is often opportunistic, with offenders stealing copper wiring to sell to scrap metal dealers, despite the significant risk of injury or death from live electrical infrastructure.

Further north, copper theft also disrupted telecommunications near Townsville ahead of Tropical Cyclone Koji. Industry advocates say expanding the use of solar street lighting could help reduce future thefts by limiting reliance on underground copper cabling.