An attempted theft of copper wire on Tuesday led to a predawn barricade situation — inside a city manhole — authorities said. When the dog didn’t motivate the person out of the manhole, officers deployed tear gas. This is the second theft involving copper wire and a manhole in the span of three months. When police arrived they said they found the man attempting to steal copper wire. Copper wire theft has been wreaking havoc in neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles County, causing far-reaching internet service outages and cutting off phone service to seniors in South Los Angeles.

Source: Los Angeles Times January 28, 2026 08:19 UTC