Time Warner Asks for Help in Texas Copper Theft

Time Warner is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of persons involved in a suspected copper theft in Texas.

The company said that someone vandalized the fiber-optic lines in conduits that ran through the I-35 underpass near the Trinity River in Dallas. The incidents occurred on June 19 and July 24, officials say.

About 45,000 customers temporarily lost phone, Internet, and television in June, and over 16,000 more lost service as a result of the second incident. Time Warner said the cost of the damge ran in the thousands of dollars.

"...Our Digital Phone customers los[t] access to 911 and other critical services as a result of these criminal actions, we're going to do everything in our power to fight back and prevent it from happening again," Time Warner Cable North Texas President Robert Moel said.

Copper theft is becoming an increasing problem for telecommunications companies. In February, Verizon said that the problem is so bad in West Virginia that in some cases it was cutting service to first responders, posing a possible public safety threat.

Those with information in the Dallas incident are asked to either call a special telephone number, 1-888-824-8041, or e-mail [email protected].