Copper wire thieves hit Ballard businesses repeatedly, owners demand action
Jul 31, 2026, 9:07 AM
Exterior of Sloop Tavern in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood. (Photo courtesy of Sloop Tavern)
(Photo courtesy of Sloop Tavern)
Copper wire thieves are hitting Ballard businesses hard, leaving owners with repair bills worth thousands of dollars.
Ballard business owners are calling for action after a string of copper wire thefts along N.W. Market Street.
Jim Fuda, the executive director for Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound, told KIRO 7 that copper wire thieves often sell stolen copper to buyers who ask few questions.
“Places that will take it for pennies on the dollar, and the crook makes out, and nobody sees them in a lot of cases, and they should be reported,” Fuda said. “Somebody unscrupulous comes in to try to rid that thing.”
One of those businesses, The Lockspot Café, said it was targeted three times in one week earlier this year, while the Sloop Tavern has been hit three times this year alone.
The Lockspot Café said one theft cost nearly $3,000 in repairs, despite only a small amount of copper being stolen.
“And when things are already hard enough for small businesses in this city, like when you have a $3,000 bill hit that you weren’t expecting and you weren’t anticipating, it’s rough,” Lockspot co-owner Alison Soike told KIRO 7.
Seattle Police Department (SPD) said it is investigating the recent thefts.
This is a developing story, check back for updates
Contributing: KIRO 7
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