Wiring stolen from lights at soccer field

The lights at the soccer field at Peachtree City’s Meade Field complex should be back up and running this weekend, officials said.

The lights were damaged almost two weeks ago when thieves ripped copper wire out, said Recreation Administrator Sherry McHugh. It will cost the city nearly $7,000 for the repair work, she added.

Copper thieves have struck across the metro Atlanta area as they scavenge for metal to turn in at recycling centers that pay in cash. By state law such recycling centers are required to keep paperwork on persons who turn in scrap metal, but one such dealer in Fayette was arrested recently for failing to keep such paperwork.

A city staffer surveyed the damage and determined it was likely a two-person job, and the thieves must have known what they were doing because they didn’t cut the live wire that carries electrical current, McHugh said.

The lights were built several years ago, with construction funded by the soccer association, McHugh noted. Since the damage occurred, teams have had to be rescheduled because games after dusk cannot be played.

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