‘We saw those crimes plummet’: King County prosecutor pushes copper wire theft approach that worked for catalytic converters

Copper wire theft continues to plague Seattle. In a recent case, a man allegedly stripped wire from the West Seattle Bridge, causing at least $100,000 in damage, far exceeding the $1,000 value of the stolen copper.

King County Prosecutor Leesa Manion is pushing lawmakers to pass a bill she said would drastically reduce copper wire theft.

“If lawmakers were to pass this bill, it would really tamp down on the demand side of copper wire theft, and the legislation is like really simple regulation,” she told “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio.

The bill would require recyclers to take a photo of the copper wire and upload it to an existing database monitored by law enforcement. It would also give law enforcement the ability to seize stolen material and therefore disincentivize recyclers from buying copper wire they think may be stolen.

Manion explained that right now, people are stealing copper wire and making a small amount of money compared to the damage it causes.

“We really need to get this legislation passed,” she said.

King County prosecutor points to catalytic converter success as model for copper wire theft bill

Manion said King County is building a coalition of voices from various agencies to explain to lawmakers the impact the thefts have on the community. She added that the bill follows a similar approach to the one used to combat catalytic converter theft.

“We worked really hard to pass legislation that went into effect in April of 2025, and that simply allowed recyclers to mark catalytic converters,” Manion explained. “It allowed law enforcement to be able to trace catalytic converters back to the source, and we saw those crimes plummet in all parts of King County.”

The bill did not advance in the last legislative session, but Manion said she is optimistic it will pass in 2027.

“It’s an important tool to really tamp down on the demand of copper wire, and it will reduce theft. Also, this isn’t a new bill for lawmakers to review. We introduced it in 2026. It seems like common sense legislation,” she said.

“Why didn’t it pass?” KIRO host Ursula Reutin asked.

“I don’t know. I know that there were a lot of things going on in the session in 2026,” Manion responded. “But I really hope that lawmakers come together in 2027 and make this a priority.”

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to Gee and Ursula on “The Gee and Ursula Show” weekday mornings from 9 am to 12 pm on KIRO Newsradio.