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AT&T Goes After Copper Wire Thieves
coondoggie writes "Copper thieves targeting Atlanta are now being targeted themselves by AT&T, which is offering $3,000 for information leading to their arrest. The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports that in one recent three-day stretch, nearly 7,000 customers and two schools lost land line phone service. The FBI has said in the past that the rising theft of the metal is threatening critical infrastructure by targeting electrical substations, cellular towers, telephone land lines, railroads, water wells, construction sites, and vacant homes for lucrative profits."
Crackheads* have been doing this for decades; looting construction sites and such for "scrap". While I think it is a bad sign, it really isn't anything new, except others a joining in on the fun while facing unemployment, rising food prices, etc.
*Yes, I'm targeting a specific, generally low-income, subgroup of drug addicts, I guess that makes me a bigot; then again the Rotarians have never broken into my house and ransacked the place for anything that can be turned over to a pawnbroker or scrap dealer.