The telecommunications company Verizon has announced it is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of individuals responsible for the theft of copper telephone cables in four western Pennsylvania counties. In a statement, the company says the thefts have put public safety at risk for hundreds of customers and have caused unnecessary telephone service outages.The most recent theft occurred Jan. 30, 2015, in Wampum, Pennsylvania, where about 200 feet of copper cable was stolen, affecting service for more than 90 Verizon customers.
Since the beginning of 2014, Verizon says close to 30 incidents have occurred, with more than 16,000 feet of copper cable stolen, causing more than $300,000 in damages. The thefts have occurred most frequently in the Brownsville, Burgettstown, New Castle and Wampum areas of Pennsylvania.
“These acts are deliberate and brazen with no regard for the safety of our customers, and that is something Verizon will not tolerate,” says Margaret Buban, director of operations for Verizon Pennsylvania. “They can cause unnecessary telephone service outages for hundreds of customers at a time, put people’s lives in danger and cost thousands of dollars to repair.”
The company says that anyone observing suspicious activity should contact Verizon Security at 800-997-3287 or local law enforcement authorities.