Key Points
- Seattle police arrested Gregory Wayne Galitzeck after prosecutors said he was caught stealing copper wire from the West Seattle Bridge while claiming to be a Seattle City Light employee.
- Court documents said he had four 100-foot coils of stolen copper wire, and the damage was estimated at about $100,000.
- Prosecutors said Galitzeck was charged with theft and impersonating a City Light worker.
- He failed to appear in court this week, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
- New police body camera video showed officers arresting him while he had bundles of copper wire in his arms.
- The case adds to a series of copper wire thefts that have disrupted the West Seattle Bridge and other transit systems in the region.seattletimes+1
Seattle (KOMO News) July 10, 2026 – prosecutors say the West Seattle Bridge copper wire theft case has now shifted from an arrest to a wanted-person situation after the suspect missed a court appearance, even as new police video has brought renewed attention to the alleged crime.
How was the suspect arrested?
As reported by the KOMO News staff of KOMO News, Seattle police arrested Gregory Wayne Galitzeck after officers confronted him during the theft, and video released this week showed the arrest scene.
The body camera footage reportedly shows officers detaining a man who had copper wire with him, which prosecutors say had been taken from the bridge.
According to the reporting, Galitzeck allegedly told police he was a Seattle City Light employee, a claim that prosecutors say was false.
The arrest became public after police and prosecutors linked him to the bridge theft and filed charges.
What do court documents say?
Court records cited in the reporting say King County Insider had four 100-foot coils of copper wire when he was stopped.
Those records also put the damage at about $100,000, with Seattle City Light customers expected to bear repair costs.
The charges described in coverage include theft and impersonating a City Light worker, and separate reporting said prosecutors filed three felonies in connection with the incident.
A bench warrant was later issued after he did not appear for arraignment or another scheduled court date.
Why did the court warrant matter?
The missed court appearance turned the case into an active warrant matter, meaning authorities were seeking him after he did not show up as required.
Several outlets reported that the no-show happened this week, with police confirming he was wanted after failing to appear in court.
That development matters because it keeps the case open and can affect how quickly prosecutors move forward.
It also means the allegations remain unresolved in court even though the arrest itself was already captured on video.
What have officials said about the theft pattern?
The wider reporting places this incident in a broader pattern of copper wire thefts around Seattle transportation infrastructure.seattletimes+1
The Seattle Times reported that the West Seattle Bridge had already lost lighting after another copper wire theft earlier in the summer, with about 100 lights out and no immediate repair timeline available.
Other reports cited similar thefts affecting Sound Transit, where stolen copper wire has caused outages and service disruptions.komonews+1
That pattern suggests the West Seattle case is not isolated, but part of a recurring infrastructure problem in the region.seattletimes+1
How did residents react?
Coverage from local reporting said some West Seattle residents found the alleged theft shocking, but not surprising given the area’s recent experience with similar incidents.
One resident quoted in the reporting said the city already feels unpredictable, reflecting a sense that repeated thefts have made people less surprised by disruption.
That reaction fits the broader context of repeated utility and transit thefts that have forced repairs and temporary outages.seattletimes+1
The reporting did not indicate any injuries connected to the bridge incident.
Background of the development
Copper wire theft has been a recurring issue on the West Seattle Bridge, with earlier incidents knocking out bridge lighting and creating repair challenges for Seattle City Light.
The bridge had already seen repeated damage from wire theft in earlier months, and the region has also seen similar thefts affecting Sound Transit lines.komonews+2
The financial impact is not limited to repairs alone, because outages can create service disruptions, safety concerns, and additional security costs.seattletimes+1
This case follows that same pattern, which is why local agencies have continued to treat wire theft as both a property crime and a public infrastructure issue.seattletimes+1
Prediction
For West Seattle residents and drivers, the immediate effect is likely to be continued concern about bridge lighting, repair delays, and public safety around infrastructure theft.
For Seattle City Light customers, the reported damage estimate suggests repair costs may continue to be passed through indirectly as the utility restores the bridge’s wiring and lighting systems.
For transit riders and commuters more broadly, the case reinforces the risk that copper theft can interrupt service and create added delays or outages.komonews+1
For prosecutors and police, the warrant means the case will likely stay active until Galitzeck is located or appears in court, which may extend public attention on the issue.
