The Tribune

AN unremitting onslaught by copper thieves on telecom facilities has police and the Bahamas Telecommunications Company appealing to the public for assistance in stemming the dangerous criminal attacks.

Following an uptick in copper theft activity at BTC facilities across the country, resulting in immediate disruption of phone and data service and huge financial losses to BTC, Supt Stephen Dean and BTC’s executives have appealed for the public’s help in bringing the criminals to justice for a crime they called anti-nation building and “against God and country.”

Mr Dean said: “We share the concern of business persons who are suffering great financial loss because of copper thefts and the general public who lose their telephone service when these thefts occur. We are doing everything possible to stop the incidents of copper theft and appeal once again to honest citizens of the Bahamas to do the right thing and give us information to help up us stop this copper theft crime wave against God and country.”

Kenyon Basden, BTC technical manager for New Providence, said that in just the last two weeks, three substantial thefts had occurred.

“Thieves attacked at South Ocean Boulevard on November 16, JFK on November 27 and Roberts Boulevard, Coral Harbour on November 29,” he said.

“In all cases valuable and expensive 300 pair copper aerial cable was stolen, immediately disrupting service to hundreds of customers in the surrounding areas.”

On Grand Bahama, manager Michael Laing reported that hardly a month goes by without a service disruption due to copper thefts.

Last year, there were 13 attacks. Recent thefts occurred at Balao Road, Sea Grape, Eight Mile Rock, Logwood Road and Peel Street in Freeport, resulting in immediate outages.

Earlier this year, Mr Laing issued a public appeal for help; he asked anyone with information on the thefts to come forward and help police apprehend the criminals.

Any suspicious activity should be reported by calling 911 or 352-9774/5. To report outages all BTC on 225-5282.

Marlon Johnson said the crimes have negative ripple effects throughout communities.

“These copper-theft criminals disrupt service to customers and also trigger price increases as the need for replacement copper and installation costs push up the cost of doing business,” he said.

“We’re building a world-class communications network and common copper-theft criminals are working against us and the advancement of their country.”

In Nassau, businessmen Rupert Roberts and Minister Leslie Miller have both called on the government to demonetise the metal by banning copper exports forever.

Both men have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipment and infrastructural damage at the hands of copper thieves.

Super Value chain owner Mr Roberts said at the time that “drastic action needs to be taken against copper thieves.”