Grey Squirrels Cause Trouble in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

I was listening to the radio the other day during a long drive to Yarmouth, NS and laughed out loud at this story about Grey Squirrels in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

The City has spent more than $10,000 putting energy efficient LED lighting on the magnificent trees that grace its downtown. The effect is beautiful but they are having trouble keeping them lit. Vandals are damaging the strings of lights faster than they can be repaired.
The mystery was solved when it was discovered that the vandals are Grey Squirrels. The squirrels have developed a taste for the cool burning, plastic bulbs. Anyone who has bird feeders will know how this story is most likely going to turn out.
First the city's downtown business association hired a contractor to replace the damaged bulbs but with multiple strings of lights on each tree it soon became too expensive to keep up with those pesky squirrels.
The end result is that the city has retreated. They are keeping the lights up and working around one spot where they also maintain an outdoor rink. A decision will be made about the rest of the area when they can come up with a solution to the inexplicable tastiness to squirrels of LED light strings.
I'd be curious to hear if anyone has any thoughts on why the squirrels would chew on the wires and bulbs of a string of electric lights. Any ideas on how to outsmart them on this one? As I said, anyone with a bird feeder has dealt with the resourcefulness of squirrels and might even qualify as an expert.