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OAKLAND, Calif. (TND) — City officials in Oakland, California replaced traffic lights at a busy intersection with stop signs after thieves gutted the signal for its copper wire, KPIX reported Saturday.

In place of a traffic signal hanging over the intersection of E. 12th Street and 16th Avenue, drivers now see an all-way stop sign. The signal which previously hung there reportedly suffered from outages due to frequent tampering with its electrical system.

Residents told the outlet a nearby homeless encampment may be to blame. Thieves appear to have attached wiring to electrical boxes near the signal, rerouting power from the signal to the encampment where it powers RVs and other large electronics, according to the outlet.

At least one accident occurred in the area as a result of the outages, residents told the outlet, when a truck crashed into the fence of a repair shop on the corner of the intersection.

READ MORE | California spent billions to combat homelessness without tracking if it worked, audit says

Oakland city officials directed The National Desk to a public information officer who did not return a request for comment when reached via email about the situation Tuesday.

Homelessness continues to create public safety and infrastructure challenges in California. Adam Nathan, board chair for The Salvation Army San Francisco, in May slammed a poverty reduction initiative which would provide free alcohol to the city’s growing homeless population.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass had her home burglarized in April after instructing wealthy city residents to take in members of its homeless community. The mayor's office said Bass and her family were not injured during the incident.

Follow Jackson Walker on X at @_jlwalker_ for the latest trending national news. Have a news tip? Send it to jacwalker@sbgtv.com.

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