Copper thieves keep cutting this B.C. community’s internet: ‘It’s a public safety issue’

Residents of a agrarian organization northbound of Mission, B.C., opportunity they’re being put astatine consequence by copper thieves responsible for many times cutting their internet, telephone and cablegram service.

People surviving successful nan Steelhead neighbourhood opportunity copper theft has been an ongoing rumor for much than a decade, and has persisted moreover aft Telus switched astir of nan area to fibre-optic cablegram successful 2021.

The astir caller incident happened early Tuesday morning, knocking retired work for overmuch of nan day.

The lines person been trim 4 times successful nan past 7 months alone, according to Candace Koch.

In 1 case, thieves trim nan statement feeding nan section compartment tower, knocking retired mobile phones arsenic well.

“So that put nan full organization astatine consequence for nary telecommunications. Can’t telephone emergency aliases anybody,” she said.

“It’s a nationalist information rumor and it needs to beryllium taken seriously.”

About 800 group unrecorded successful nan area, which resident Jana Tennant described arsenic “one roadworthy in, 1 roadworthy out.”

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“It keeps being removed from astir nan aforesaid location, which made nary consciousness to us, but now we understand that location are a fewer copper subscribers near connected that line, and they switch nan copper each clip truthful nan thieves support coming back,” she said.

Telus, Tennant said, has discussed putting up signage telling thieves nan lines are fibre-optic.

She said nan institution has besides expressed willingness to move nan remaining copper customers to fibre, but that location has yet to beryllium activity connected either solution.

In a statement, Telus said it had crews retired arsenic quickly arsenic imaginable and would person work restored to nan area by Tuesday night.

“Canadian telecommunications providers are moving pinch ISED and nan Federal Government to prosecute stricter penalties for copper thieves, and to combat thefts, we partner pinch section constabulary and person invested successful information cameras, specialized locks, and fencing,” Telus said.

The institution further urged residents to telephone constabulary aliases Crime Stoppers to study immoderate suspicious activity.

Koch, meanwhile, said locals are losing their patience.

“We person these concerns astir nationalist information truthful we would for illustration Telus to measurement up and travel up pinch a solution to region nan deterrent,” she said.

“They request to get free of nan copper.”