Copper Thieves Steal 4,000 Feet in Green Country, Disrupting Internet and 911 Access
Updated
Updated · KTUL · Jul 16
Copper Thieves Steal 4,000 Feet in Green Country, Disrupting Internet and 911 Access
2 articles · Updated · KTUL · Jul 16
Summary
More than 4,000 feet of copper cable have been stolen across Tulsa, Broken Arrow and rural Wagoner County in the past two to three months, disrupting internet and phone service, Kinetic said.
More than 25 thefts have hit the area, including one last weekend, as rising copper prices make the metal an easy target for thieves, according to the company.
Cut lines can knock out service for homes, businesses and health care facilities and may prevent residents from reaching 911, raising broader public-safety concerns.
Kinetic said thefts often happen at night in remote areas; it has added night-vision cameras and GPS trackers and is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
Across Kinetic's 18-state service area, copper thefts are up about 60% from a year earlier, suggesting the Green Country cases are part of a wider surge.