Honolulu police and state deputy sheriffs believe the copper thieves who forced the cancellation of Friday night's Campbell-Roosevelt high school football game are part of a group that has been posing as workmen and stealing copper wire from stretches of H-1 and H-2 freeways.

Officers have identified at least one suspect and have recovered wire they believe was stolen from freeway lights and from stadium lights at Campbell High.

Without working lights, it was impossible for the Sabers and Rough Riders to play their scheduled preseason game.

On Monday, police found 250 pounds of copper wire worth about $2,000, a bolt cutter, a pipe cutter, insulated rubber gloves, a pair of blue workman's overalls and a volt meter in a car abandoned near Nimitz Highway just before Sand Island Access Road, police said.

Police were tipped to the car by an anonymous driver who reported seeing a man pulling wires out of a pole box near a street light. Upon arriving, officers found the open box and the vehicle nearby.

The car was registered to a Kapolei woman who told police her estranged husband took her car two weeks ago.

Two types of copper were found in the car, one capable of powering freeway lights, the other thick enough to power stadium lights, police said.

The woman's husband is wanted on an outstanding warrant.

YEARLONG PROBLEM

Police and state deputy sheriffs believe the group has been stealing copper from H-1 in Kapolei and H-2 near Ka Uka Boulevard.

Miles of copper wire have been disappearing from light fixtures along state freeways for more than a year.

Scott Ishikawa, spokesman for the state Department of Transportation, declined to comment about the joint state and city probe.

"We hope it leads to further arrests because this (copper theft) really affects everyone," said Ishikawa. "We continue to ask folks to call police if they see something suspicious along the roadways."

Louise Kim McCoy, public information officer for the state Department of Public Safety, confirmed the investigation yesterday but declined further comment, citing an ongoing criminal probe.

"The sheriff's division is working with HPD and looking into copper thefts from freeways," said McCoy.

Copper theft has been on the rise in the Islands, with criminals stealing wiring not only from street and freeway lights, but also churches, schools and the airport. Losses in copper-theft cases reported to Honolulu police in 2006 surpassed $760,000, police have said.

Police say the copper is being recycled for cash.

On freeway thefts alone, the state has spent about $300,000 to replace copper wiring stolen from overhead lights, and experts say that figure could balloon to more than $1 million once the wiring is replaced.

Meanwhile, the price of copper continues to rise.

Recyclers are paying $2.30 to $3 a pound for the metal, authorities say.

Current law requires scrap recyclers to check — but not record — the identity of anyone trying to sell material such as copper. They also must get a signed statement from the seller — usually on the receipt — saying the seller has the right to sell the copper.

Recyclers who violate the statutes face a misdemeanor charge, punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine.

5 YEARS IN PRISON

This year, the state Legislature toughened the penalty for stealing a pound or more of copper, making it punishable by up to five years in prison. Police have arrested dozens of copper thieves, and one man was electrocuted while trying to steal copper.

Copper thieves face misdemeanor charges if the market value is under $300, felony charges if it exceeds $300.

Still, copper thefts continue as thieves target government buildings, businesses and construction sites.

The game between Campbell and Roosevelt was called off after eight lights on the 'Ewa Beach campus field didn't work.

School officials say the thieves must have struck in the week before the game, as the lights were tested about a week before the game. Thieves damaged three of the lights, but the wires they cut left all eight lights without power.

Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.