Published: May 01, 2008 10:10 pm      

Copper thieves strike Verizon cell tower

Authorities: Incident second in 3 days

Raleigh County sheriff’s detectives say copper thieves struck a cell phone tower twice in three days’ time.

About 800 feet of copper wire was stolen from a Verizon cell tower in Bolt between Monday and Wednesday, Sgt. Larry Lilly said. When the tower was first hit, Verizon workers repaired damage and replaced stolen wire.

Then the thieves stole what was replaced, Lilly said. Both thefts cost Verizon an estimated $15,000 in material and repair costs.

No suspects have been identified, Lilly said. Lilly was unsure if the site had been struck before or if the incidents were related to repeated land line phone cable thefts in the nearby Marsh Fork area.

Cell phone towers, he said, are targeted by copper thieves “fairly frequently,” just like power and phone company substations and utility poles.

“You name something that’s got copper, and these people are going after it,” Lilly said.

Laura Merritt, a spokeswoman for Verizon Wireless, was unsure if service was lost. Typically, that would depend on where the wires were cut. She emphasized the company has undertaken security measures such as installing cameras to combat such crime.

“We are watching,” she said.

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