Two towers, only a few miles apart, were robbed of copper wires in Jefferson County, MO near Barnhart, according to KMOV-TV. The county sheriff’s department said the thefts occurred in the early morning hours of June 13.
Approximately 240 feet of copper cables were taken from the site at 6600 block of St. Lukes Church Road. that is shared by AT&T and T-Mobile. A few miles away, at the 3700 block of Wedde Road tower owned by Sprint, 70 feet of copper wires were stolen.
A spokesman for T-Mobile told KMOV-TV, they are seeing a rise in copper thefts nationwide over the last six months and the resulting loss of service is not just an annoyance but a safety issue. A review of copper prices by Market Insider shows a recent spike in the value of copper in June that matches five-year highs.
“Certainly the timeline leads us to believe they were committed by the same person or persons. They were in close proximity to each other and only several miles apart,” Sgt. Matt Moore told KMOV-TV.
AT&T released a statement about the thefts:
“We are investigating the theft of copper at a cell site near St. Luke’s Church Road in Barnhart, and are cooperating with local law enforcement to find those responsible. The theft of copper lines may affect some services for a limited number of nearby customers. Copper theft is a serious matter that affects public safety and the community at large. Tipsters can remain anonymous, so we encourage anyone with information to call law enforcement or AT&T Asset Protection at 1-888-871-2622.”
June 27, 2018
Menu
Menu
