Jefferson Parish authorities are looking for a group of bold bandits who made off with more than $100,000 worth of copper from a west bank park, now under construction.

The first phase of the 610 acre Parc des Familles is expected to open in two years.

But work has begun and councilman Chris Roberts said that thieves stole every inch of copper linking a series of new street lights along the entrance to the park and destroyed an electrical lift station.

"This is a project we have been working on for years," said Roberts. "We're finally making progress and getting things done. Then, to have thieves come in and undo the work that has been done is not a good impression. It's kind of heartbreaking. There's lot of money that's been invested here, a lot of time. It's certainly going to set us back."

The thieves even took the time to strip the copper from its protective plastic covering.

By doing so, they got rid of any identifying markings on the cable and made the metal, much more valuable to a scrap dealer.

"There was electrical current running through these lines," said Roberts. "We estimate it was professionals that came in. They knew what they were doing. They cut off the electricity. They basically helped themselves."

The theft is now expected to delay the park's opening

Tim Ting owns a seafood business across the bayou from the site. He says the parish isn't the only victim in this crime.

"Every time they set it back it hurts everybody in the community," said Ting. "This area here is desperate with funds being low nationally and everything else. It would help us out to bring more tourists to the area."

Jefferson Parish detectives are now following up on a clue left at the crime scene, a receipt from a Mississippi scrap metal dealer.

Councilman Roberts hopes it leads to an arrest in the case.