At a 2:30 press conference today at Tukwila Int’l Blvd Station, Sound Transit spokesman Bruce Gray and Chief of Police Ron Griffin announced the discovery that approximately 4.2 miles and 70,000 pounds of copper wire has been stolen from within LINK’s hollow elevated guideway. With the exception of the stations themselves, all of the wire between Rainier Beach and SeaTac Airport has been stolen. The copper wire sections – roughly an inch in diameter – function to isolate stray current that might otherwise be absorbed by the structure, slowly weakening it over a period of decades. At current copper prices, the theft is valued well over $200,000.

Grounding for the train's power line is run separately. At no time was train service affected or the public in danger, Gray said.

Maintenance workers discovered the missing wire Thursday during track inspections. One worker noticed something out of place and went for a closer look.

While workers walk the tracks twice a week for inspection, the guideway's interior is inspected only once a year, Gray said. Thieves took advantage of that.

"There could be trains running overhead and track walkers out on top and they would never know someone was inside," Gray said.