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Copper Wire Thefts Cut Phone and Internet Across Rural Sonoma County

Deputies are asking residents for tips to help catch thieves targeting remote lines.

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Rows of trellised grape vines in a Sonoma County vineyard, with terraced vineyards on hills in the background, Image 2 shows A utility worker in a bucket truck operates machinery to remove a telephone pole, Image 3 shows A young woman in a floral dress stands beside a bicycle in a vineyard with a fence and trees

Overview

  • Sonoma County deputies report a wave of copper thefts since February that has disrupted AT&T phone and internet service in towns including Petaluma, Windsor, Sebastopol, Graton, Forestville, and Freestone.
  • Investigators say unknown suspects cut down aerial lines, strip off the protective coating, and pull out the copper, often leaving the outer casing behind.
  • Deputies believe the crimes happen overnight in remote areas and they are urging people to report unfamiliar vehicles to the county dispatch line or submit anonymous tips online.
  • Residents have faced long outages, in some cases up to two weeks without service, which can also hinder access to emergency help.
  • AT&T says copper theft has cost $32 million in California this year and it averages about 200 theft incidents a week nationwide, with similar crimes reported recently in Los Angeles.