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Copper thieves disrupt youth league ball games
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More from Local NewsThe Ventura Coastal Little League was left scrambling to reschedule games and shift fields after thieves struck an electrical vault at Camino Real Park last week, stealing copper wires and controllers from the park's electrical system.
Repairs to get baseball-field lights working again are expected to take at least a few weeks, city officials said this week. The damage was estimated at up to $20,000.
"There is a ton of damage we have to fix," Public Works Director Ron Calkins said.
The league canceled all night games until the lighting is restored, and start times for day games during the week were moved up an hour to 5 p.m. so they can be completed by sunset.
With a shortage of baseball fields with mounds and no other lighted facilities available in Ventura, the league's older junior division had to relocate some home games to Santa Paula, officials said.
"It's just made life a lot more difficult than it was," Little League President Mike Mislinay said.
The power outage also knocked out the league's snack bar for a few days — until officials could add a generator to run a refrigerator in the small shack.
"That really hurt, because the snack bar is our biggest fundraiser," Mislinay said. The league has about 260 participants, ages 5 to 14.
The thieves broke into the electrical vault the night of May 1 or early May 2, cutting and removing copper wiring and also stealing some electrical controllers, Ventura Parks Manager Mike Montoya said.
Copper can fetch more than $3 a pound at a recycling center, and thefts have been increasing, authorities said. Caltrans officials have reported thefts of copper wiring from traffic lights at freeway underpasses and from rest areas.
Anyone who sees metal theft occurring should call 911 or, if on a freeway, the CHP at 800-835-5247.
Posted by AnnaWhaat on May 9, 2008 at 7:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is just sad ! Darn low life punks stealing the copper wire and disrupting the games for these kids. And costing no tellnig how much for the City Repairs!!!!!!
Posted by smithjc on May 9, 2008 at 11:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
it's too bad the wires and switches weren't "live" when they broke in and took them. then the artice would read, "mysterious charred remains were found at camino real park last week, authorities said."
of course, the star would find a way to slant the story to make the perps victims.
Posted by THX1138 on May 9, 2008 at 11:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The careless attitude of these criminals is unbelievable!
I hope they get what's coming to them - hope they're caught soon!
Posted by zulumaster on May 9, 2008 at 12:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
you can thank Prop 36 and Judge Clark for letting out all the tweekers!!
Posted by smithjc on May 9, 2008 at 6:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
remember, prop 36 is not the fault of the police or the courts. it was a ballot measure voted on by the tweekers of the state of california. (i voted against it, just as i voted against "medical" marijuana).
Posted by AnnaWhaat on May 10, 2008 at 10:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Prop.36 covers alot more then tweekers. But all in all its a joke !
Posted by sparks240 on May 11, 2008 at 11:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
A lot of these thieves are pros who know how to cut out wiring without getting killed. There needs to be more regulation on recycling centers.
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