Youth football players at Loyal Heights Playfield in Ballard are practicing in the dark after thieves cut copper wires from the park's electrical system.

Matt Maynard, a Ballard parent whose son plays on a youth football team at the park, told KIRO 7, which first reported the theft, that two or three practices went by without lights before anyone realized what happened. "The lights weren't coming on at the Loyal Heights playfield; next thing we know, two or three practices go by and lo and behold, no lights," Maynard said.

A KIRO 7 crew visited the park Monday, Sept. 28, and found several electrical junction boxes that appeared to have been pried open, with wires cut inside. The damage knocked out the lights that illuminate the park after sunset, disrupting evening youth athletics practices and team events.

The theft has renewed a push from King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion and Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Gary Ernsdorff for state legislation targeting the scrap metal market. They want lawmakers to require recyclers to photograph purchased copper and upload the images to a central police database. Recyclers would also hold wire for 10 days, giving investigators time to match it to reported thefts.

House Bill 2213, sponsored by Rep. Cindy Ryu, D-Edmonds, did not pass during the 2026 legislative session, which ended March 12. Recyclers had objected to an earlier version that required a 30-day hold, so the proposal was revised to 10 days.

The math behind the push is stark. The King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office told MyNorthwest that copper theft damage runs 50 to 100 times the value of the stolen metal. A thief who sells $1,000 in scrap can leave $50,000 to $100,000 in repair costs behind. In one West Seattle Bridge case, a suspect stood to gain about $1,000 from stolen wire while Seattle City Light estimated the repair bill at $100,000, KOMO News reported in July.

Manion has pointed to Washington's catalytic converter law as a model. After the state required recyclers to mark and trace converters, those thefts dropped sharply across King County. The coalition backing the copper bill has grown to include Sound Transit.

Seattle Parks and Recreation has not released a repair timeline or cost estimate for Loyal Heights Playfield.

No suspects have been identified.

Manion plans to push the legislation again when the Washington Legislature convenes Jan. 11, 2027. Prefiling for the session opens Dec. 7.