Copper thieves cut phone, Internet service in Ruch

[PonderThis]

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northw...cart_river

Excerpt: "Thieves who took cable from electrical poles for the copper knocked out phone and Internet service for the southern Oregon town Ruch (roosh).

A CenturyLink spokeswoman says about 500 customers in the Applegate Valley town near Jacksonville were affected Wednesday. The Medford Mail Tribune reported crews went to work repairing the lines.

The company asked the public to report people working on telephone lines without the usual orange vests and hard hats, or without flaggers and company vehicles."

[tvguy]

Here is a little more info.



Copper thieves cut phone, Internet service to Ruch
Residents are asked to call 911 if they see people working on phone lines who look suspicious


CenturyLink customers in Ruch outside of Jacksonville lost phone and internet services Wednesday, apparently because of copper thieves, according to a statement from the company.

Here's a little more info from the MMT.....


About 500 people in the Ruch area were affected, said Heather Koch, company spokeswoman.
Related Stories

Phone, Internet service is back in Ruch

Crews worked to replace the copper and get service back on after the company was alerted Wednesday morning, said Koch.

"Copper theft has happened in the past, all over Oregon and affects electrical companies, too. Luckily, this didn't cut the 911 lines," said Koch.

The cable that was taken was stolen from aerial cable on the electrical poles, and CenturyLink was working to get service restored by today.

If people are seen working on telephone wires without typical safety equipment such as orange vests and hard hats or without flaggers or company vehicles, observers should call 911, said Susan Reed, vice president and general manager for CenturyLink in Southern Oregon.

Oregon state law requires anyone transporting metal to have a certificate detailing where the metal was obtained or risk a fine of up to $1,250 or 30 days in jail. Scrap-metal businesses are required to cooperate with law enforcement and to separate, tag and hold property they suspect was lost or stolen.

[PonderThis]

I'm surprised those little bitty phone wires add up to enough copper to be worth stealing.

[tvguy]

I'm surprised those little bitty phone wires add up to enough copper to be worth stealing.

Yeah if you are a tweeker and can burn the insulation off somewhere in the woods. Wire that small isn't even classified as number two copper.
And then good luck hauling that to a scrap yard that won't give the cops a call.

BTW all the scrap yards take a picture of YOU your truck and what you are selling and then they will ONLY mail a check to your residence.

I'm guessing that theses guys will get caught. It's kind of funny that Monday there were two guys in a line truck who forgot to set their E brake.Their truck rolled head first in to the ditch and they were hopelessly stuck.
I pulled them out with my truck and they gave me 11 bucks. I didn't pay any attention whatsoever to who they were.

[Wonky]

I'm surprised those little bitty phone wires add up to enough copper to be worth stealing.

Yeah if you are a tweeker and can burn the insulation off somewhere in the woods. Wire that small isn't even classified as number two copper.
And then good luck hauling that to a scrap yard that won't give the cops a call.

BTW all the scrap yards take a picture of YOU your truck and what you are selling and then they will ONLY mail a check to your residence.

I'm guessing that theses guys will get caught. It's kind of funny that Monday there were two guys in a line truck who forgot to set their E brake.Their truck rolled head first in to the ditch and they were hopelessly stuck.
I pulled them out with my truck and they gave me 11 bucks. I didn't pay any attention whatsoever to who they were.

Serves 'em right. The utility companies, I mean.
Pure silver is a much better conductor. That would keep the copper thieves away. I'm known for my problem solving skills and hope to do consulting. You can contact me at www.justplainstupid.org. If I still have an internet connection.

[illcommandante]

Do you want the copper fairies running meth, or poaching madrone?

[chuck white]

Do you want the copper fairies running meth, or poaching madrone?

We had an issue with tweakers cutting wood off of BLM and private land around these parts.