Telecom company CenturyLink says it is partnering with Silent Witness after a rise in copper thefts in recent years. In 2024, the company said it saw 80 incidents and that number has surged past 90 already this year.
Most of the thefts have come from the metal units storing copper wires that provide cellphone and internet service.
CenturyLink offers services in 16 states, including Arizona.
“The suspects, they rip as many wires as they can out, they’ll melt the plastic down so that it exposes the copper wire itself and then they’ll take it to a recycling plant so that they can try to resell that copper for some kind of monetary value,” said Phoenix police Sgt. Brian Bowers.
Dan Chason with CenturyLink says the company has seen over $900,000 in losses. He says that cutting the wires in their metal units has had broader impacts than just financial losses.
Chason said one theft left a hospital and prison without connectivity in Washington.
Silent Witness is asking anyone with information about these thefts to call into 480-WITNESS, 480-TESTEGO or provided a tip at silentwitness.org
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