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

King County Prosecutor Leesa Manion is pushing state lawmakers to pass legislation requiring recyclers to photograph copper wire and upload it to a law enforcement database, similar to successful catalytic converter theft measures. The bill failed to advance in 2026 but Manion says she’s optimistic it will pass in 2027. Copper wire theft costs King County residents far more in damages than thieves gain—a recent West Seattle Bridge case involved $1,000 in stolen wire but $100,000 in damage.