Copper thefts hits AT&T and customers

By Margaret Newkirk

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

AT&T is offering as much as $3,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of copper telephone wire thieves.

The move comes after a recent outbreak of unusually heavy theft activity in metro Atlanta, leading to service outages for homes, businesses and schools, particularly in south Fulton County.

In one three day stretch, nearly 7,000 customers and two schools -- Renaissance Elementary and Langston Hughes High School -- lost land line phone service. A cell phone tower also was temporarily knocked out.

AT&T saw 11 thefts in a week in Fairburn, including eight in one morning.

“It impacts service temporarily, until we can get it fixed,” said AT&T spokeswoman Dawn Benton. “It’s a public safety issue.”

A report from the Southeast Metal Task Force, which tracks metal theft, said police believe one set of thieves is responsible in South Fulton because deer stand marks were found on poles at each location. Thieves took between 200 and 1,200 feet of cable at a time.

Damage to telephone lines exceeded $500 in each case. Georgia law makes that a felony, punishable by jail time and fines.

The company believes rising copper prices and the bad economy are behind the thefts. Benton said AT&T has also seen a recent rash of thefts in Kingston, near Rome.

Copper prices peaked a few days before the rash of thefts began. Prices then dropped but are still well over what they were six months ago.

Benton said the copper thieves target overhead phone lines that run parallel to and underneath power lines.

“It’s the copper that’s inside the aerial wires,” she said. “It’s a very dangerous thing to do, obviously.”

She said the company believes the thieves cut down sections of wire, remove the copper elsewhere and sell it to scrap metal dealers.

Benton said people should look out for anyone up on the poles who is not in an AT&T uniform or not accompanied by AT&T truck. The company wants anyone with information to call 1-800-807-4205.

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