Repair work expected to begin Tuesday on Edmonds Stadium lights

After thieves stole copper wiring at the base of four Edmonds Stadium light standards last week, the Sept. 20 football game between the Meadowdale Mavericks and the Lynnwood Royals was postponed to Sept. 21 and played without the use of those lights. (Photo by Doug Petrowski)

Work crews are expected to begin repairs on Tuesday, Sept. 24, on the lights that help illuminate Edmonds District Stadium after thieves stole copper wiring last week, leaving those lights inoperable.

“We are optimistic the lights will be back on for Friday night football,” said Edmonds School District Media and Public Relations Supervisor Harmony Weinberg.

Edmonds police and school district officials believe the copper wires were taken from ground vaults at the base of four light standards on the west side of the stadium grounds sometime overnight on Sept. 19. Stadium staff learned of the incident only after they attempted to turn on the lights around 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 20, minutes before kickoff the scheduled Meadowdale-Lynnwood football game.

District officials peg the price tag to repair the lights at between $20,000 and $30,000; the cost is expected to be covered by insurance.

The break-in of Edmonds Stadium and pilfering of the copper wires surprised district officials even though a similar theft occurred at an adjacent softball field one week previously.

“The softball field is different than the stadium in that electrical boxes are outside of the field, not behind the permanent field fencing, and are much more accessible to the public,” Weinberg explained. “The electrical boxes at the stadium are behind secured fencing and all gates were locked at the time the theft occurred.”

Now with two incidents of copper wire theft at district athletic sites within a week of each other, district officials are stepping up efforts to thwart any other attempted break-ins and thefts.

“We’ve increased security patrol and are looking into ways we can better secure in-ground vaults (and) boxes that house the copper wire,” Weinberg said.

The district also sent an advisory warning to the contractors currently working on the construction of new tennis courts and a baseball field just south of Edmonds Stadium.

“The contractor has been notified and is taking precautionary measures to minimize the availability of copper and other materials,” Weinberg said.

As Edmonds Stadium lights are being repaired, the girls soccer matches that had previously been scheduled for the site on Tuesday, Sept. 24, and Thursday, Sept. 26, will be held at Lynnwood High School.

Edmonds police are continuing to investigate.

— By Doug Petrowski

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