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In the past week, the outages at Microsoft Azure and Amazon’s AWS cloud service led to widespread disruption of services that covered everything from Office 365 to Xbox. The service disruption was a stark reminder of just how much the global internet relies on a few tech giants. Interestingly, human vices can also cut off people’s access to vital communications, as was the case with the recent outage of AT&T services in North Carolina. The Iredell County Sheriff’s Office recently apprehended two people charged with stealing copper cables that also damaged fiber cables and disrupted the local internet infrastructure, as well.

As per Iredell Free News, the local police department has arrested two Old Fort residents in connection with the theft of fiber and copper cables at Hickory Highway near Statesville. As per the outlet, an AT&T technician witnessed the two accused loading the stolen cables in a Toyota Corolla after being tipped off about a service shutdown in the area. Law enforcement subsequently recovered 300 feet, each, of fiber optic and copper wires from the car, estimated to be worth $4,500, alongside wire and pipe-cutting tools.

After recovery of stolen material and evidence collection, the two individuals were charged with felony larceny, felony injuring utility wires/fixtures, and felony conspiracy to commit larceny. This won’t be the first incident of its kind. In May, AT&T told the LA Times that copper wire thefts have increased in the South Los Angeles area, and following a recent incident, services were disrupted for seniors in the area. Notably, thieves are targeting not just telecom infrastructure, but they are also stealing cables from Tesla Supercharger stations.

AT&T has been hit hard by incidents of copper theft. The telecom giant recently revealed that it has logged over 7,000 such incidents this year alone, costing the company nearly $60 million in repair and service expenditures. The carrier recently claimed that it has recorded “an alarming increase in copper theft and vandalism,” prompting the company to work with local law enforcement agencies to curb such incidents. These incidents aren’t limited to stealing old, outdated technology either. We’re talking about key parts of our telecom infrastructure.

The company has started offering rewards worth up to $20,000 to the good folks who can help nab thieves in theft-prone areas such as Missouri, Dallas-Fort Worth, and California. AT&T says it has also started taking ground-level anti-theft measures, such as deploying metal casings to safeguard wires, locking manhole lids, and securing the entry points. 

“Copper thieves often confuse fiber cables for copper, causing fiber outages,” the carrier writes on a microsite, adding that bad actors often cut the fiber cables even though they are mainly after the copper wires. The telecom operator reasons that copper thefts are on the rise because the metal is currently in high demand across industries such as electric vehicles, solar and wind energy generation, and general-purpose electronics. The fact that it can be easily recycled and sold only raises the incentive behind burglary.

Nearly every carrier is reeling from the problem. Just over a month ago, executives from Comcast, Charter, Cox, GCI, Mediacom, and internet service providers collectively launched an initiative called STRIKE (Strategic Threat Response & Infrastructure Knowledge Exchange) to control the rising incidents of cable theft and related infrastructure damage that affects connectivity for over a million users.