Copper Theives Stealing Live Fiber Optic Cables (which contains no copper, but causes large phone, data, and TV disruption)

[TXCharlie]

Cable Company Offers Reward For Copper Thieves' Capture
http://www.nbc5i.com/news/13850789/d...l?dl=mainclick

POSTED: 3:27 pm CDT August 8, 2007
UPDATED: 3:50 pm CDT August 8, 2007


DALLAS -- A cable company is offering a big reward for information leading to the arrest of some Dallas copper thieves.

On more than one occasion, crooks stole Time-Warner Cable’s fiber optic lines that run through the Interstate 35E underpass near the Trinity River.

The company is now offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the copper thieves.

The thefts happened on June 19 and July 24.

The first time, about 45,000 customers lost phone, Internet and television service. The second time, about 18,000 people were affected, mostly homes and businesses in south Dallas.
Time-Warner is hoping with its customers' help that the thieves can be stopped.

Tips For Time Warner Copper Thieves: 1-888-824-8041 | E-Mail: dallas.security@twcable.com

[Emily]

Dipshits!

[Ducky]

Better hope the people who want to call in have cell phones.

[Michelle]

It's really bad out here. Big problem with telephone lines going down due to copper thieves.
This is what some copper thieves did to my fence this last November so they could get to the telephone pole in my yard. No copper though, just fiber optic hanging from my pole.

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/6...encecg3jt0.jpg


Idiots!

[snuffy2202]

So sorry, Michelle. Damn thieves. I hate them!

[Michelle]

Thank you and me too!
To bad they didn't go next door and still copper from there.

[TXCharlie]

To bad they didn't go next door and still copper from there.

Yeah,looks like they'd be Crispy Critters

[TXCharlie]

Better hope the people who want to call in have cell phones.

May not do any good - The cell phone towers are, at some point, routed onto the same fiber optic cables as the land lines in the area go.

[Trojan 42]

Has it not occurred to these Companies that they may actually be Fibre Optic Cable Thieves?

[Michelle]

I don't think there is much value in fiber optic, but the copper is worth$$$.

I had to get a police report made for landlord on the damage to the fence. The officer that came out said that whoever it was that cut the hole in the fence was after copper.
There is a large roll of fiber optic cable just dangling from the telephone line on our property. We assumed they thought it was a role of copper but realized it was fiber and left it.

[TXCharlie]

Long lengths of good long-haul fiber optic cable is very valuable, but short lengths are too hard to splice to make it worth anything (common fiber like you see at CompUSA is usually either plastic or glass fiber, but the long-haul stuff is extremely pure glass layered with other materials to make it more reflective at certain wavelengths).

[Michelle]

They used to ask for car plate numbers at the recycle redemption centers out here before they would pay out money.
Not sure why they quit asking for them, but I think they should require it again at all of them.