PINE BLUFF, Ark. – AT&T is offering a $5,000 reward in a copper theft investigation.
The stolen copper is costing the company and its customers in Jefferson County, who have struggled with internet issues over the last year, said they are completely fed up.
“I’m frustrated, one hundred percent frustrated, one hundred and two percent frustrated,” Jesse Turner, one of many residents without internet, said.
As you drive down Ohio Street in Pine Bluff, you can see where wires have been ripped down from telephone poles.
“They take a rope, some kind of a rope, throw it over the wire up top, catch it and pull it down this is what I am told by the AT&T technician,” Turner said.
Turner said this has been happening off and on over the past year.
“They will fix it and then two months or less, they will come back and swipe it again,” Turner stated.
Leaving a red light on the internet, and a disconnected phone line.
“It kills my phone. I miss doctors’ appointments, people calling me trying to get me, but they can’t get me because the internet is out,” Turner said.
This last swipe left them without internet or a phone for over a month.
“The internet went out in April, first of April and it’s still out,” Turner stated.
Now after repeated calls and repairs, AT&T put out a $5,000 reward for any information that could lead to information resulting in a conviction.
“That’s great, that’s tremendous, you know maybe somebody will stand around and watch,” Turner said.
FOX 16 News reached out to Pine Bluff police on how much has been stolen, what the value is of the stolen wire, and If there have been any arrests made over the last year in regards to these thefts, but did not hear back.
AT&T set up a tip line for information, just call AT&T Asset Protection at 800-807‐4205. You can remain anonymous.