Field lights vandalized; more than 300 kids left in the dark in Olney

PHILADELPHIA - More than 300 students are now left in the dark and are in jeopardy of losing their sport’s season after someone stole the copper wiring from a football stadium in Olney, shutting off all the lights. 

In early October, copper wire was cut from each underground pipe that runs to each light on athletic field of the Olney Eagles Youth Football Association. 

Electrician, Nemo Devine tells FOX 29’s Monica Evans that the wire is worth money and can be traded for cash. 

"Copper wire was cut from each pipe that runs underground to each light, said Devine. "If you cut the connection, you can pull from each light and pull it out. The copper wire is worth money that can be traded into scrapyards for cash…at least a crew of four or five people did this for a couple of hours."

Quick cash for copper wire has cost hundreds of kids their beloved football season. 

President of Olney Eagles Youth Football Association, Ed Huntley, explained how this act of vandalism is negatively impacting the students and community. 

"We're trying to get kids off the streets and for you to come and do this it limits us and what we can do because now we're in the dark," said Huntley. "There's no night games, the practices have to be cut short. We almost lost a little girl we couldn't find her because it was so dark and she was roaming around."

Huntley revealed he was one of the first to try and turn on the lights on the practice field and he expressed his frustration after finding out the lights were vandalized. 

"How much copper is in these little wires for you to take that over the kids, happiness and their safety," said Huntley. "I don't think that's fair."

IBEW electricians says it will cost $30,000-$50,000 to replace the wires and though IBEW agreed to provide the labor for free, the volunteer nonprofit doesn’t have the funds to buy the necessary wiring materials. 

"The pity of this is, this is the only positive outlet these children have in this neighborhood, and these thieves took it away," said Frank Keel, IBEW Director of Communication.

Huntley revealed many of the kids aged seven to 13, don’t understand why someone who steal wires from their place of practice.

"They don't understand because they're children and we explained everybody in this world is not good people," said Huntley.

Now the organization is hoping a few good people will help them raise money to buy the supplies.

To help the Olney Eagles Youth Football Association repair the damaged athletic field lights, you can make a tax-deductible contribution to their Cash App at $OlneyEaglesYouth.