Copper thefts continue to plague the Metroplex, with AT&T saying the issue has now surpassed over seven figures in costs in DFW alone.
AT&T says copper wire theft has been increasing in North Texas. Not only have thieves been cutting down cables, but they are also stealing ones buried underground to extract the metal inside.
“They cut our copper wires that feed our power systems here… It keeps getting worse because the value of copper,” said Chris Merrifield, who works in Network Process Quality with AT&T, per NBC 5.
Alisha Remek, VP of Construction and Engineering with AT&T, said it is not just copper infrastructure that is being affected; fiber cables are also being cut down and damaged.
In Dallas-Fort Worth alone, the telecom company has spent more than $1 million repairing damage at sites plagued by copper thefts. Nationwide, that figure has now surpassed $30 million.
AT&T says beyond the costs, the cable thefts disrupt customer service.
“So now you no longer have access to emergency services, you don’t have access to the internet, and all of those things prevent us from being able to provide that service to our customers,” said Remek.
As reported in The Dallas Express at the time, AT&T customers in South Dallas were left without phone and internet services for days due to copper cable theft. More than an inconvenience, the service outage can mean that the infirm who need emergency access cannot call for help.
To help fight back, AT&T says they are putting trackers inside cables, constructing new protective metal casings, and, in some cases, simply getting rid of copper.
“We’re actually removing the existing copper lines that are in the manholes,” said Miguel Flores, a Communications Technician with AT&T.
The problem has gotten so far out of hand that AT&T announced a reward program last year. The telecom company began offering up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone connected to these crimes.
Anyone wanting to report a copper theft should call the police and AT&T’s reporting hotline at (800-807‐4205).