AT&T offers $10K reward to stop surge in Georgia wire thefts

I want to shift gears big time here and talk about a major telecommunications company that's getting sick and tired of people unearthing copper, stealing it from all kinds of places. We're talking about AT&T now offering up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of copper theft suspects in Georgia. They're offering tours to in work centers to see how they're trying. to accomplish all this, and our Maria Guzman is out there to tell us more about it. Maria? Hey, Tom. Yeah, it's a big reason why AT&T is inviting the media to come here. It's to raise awareness because they're tired. And a lot of area around here, around the south area of Atlanta, has been an area of target. Not only in Atlanta, but also across the state of Georgia. So I'm going to go ahead and flip my camera to introduce you guys to Todd and also show you what these thieves are going after. So Todd, I know you're holding there some copper and fiber. So walk me through what they're going after. and also how they're also impacting the fiber as well at the same time. Yeah, thank you guys so much for helping us raise awareness to this challenge. So I want you to imagine driving down the street or walking down the street and looking up in between two of our poles and looking up into the air and you have a copper cable and you have a fiber cable. But the thieves look up and they can't tell the difference. This one has value to the bad actors, this one does not, but they don't necessarily care and can't tell the difference when they're in the middle of retrieving. This one is cut down in the middle of the night for value and this one unfortunately is the fiber cable that comes with it. This one is sent quickly to the recycling bin for money at $6 a pound. And this fiber cable unfortunately comes down with it. What is on the other end of both of these are precious customers. At the other end of both of these are people trying to talk to their families, hospitals running their connectivity, data centers hosting precious connectivity, emergency services. At the other end of this wire are real people connecting And unfortunately at the other end of fiber that sometimes comes down with the copper are also our cell sites that connects your mobility devices. So when the copper comes down so does the fiber and our customers are impacted. Tell me about how you guys are working with law enforcement to really get these people that are cutting the copper and also the fiber and impacting Just a bridge of communication. We are so grateful not only for you guys helping us raise awareness, for the local authorities, the Georgia and local legislation. We are offering up to $10,000 for an arrest that leads to a conviction. If you see suspicious behavior, if you see something, say something. If you see something other than a legitimately labeled and marked vehicle like you see behind me and somebody that looks suspicious that is up reaching above in between the pole lines to cable that is in the air and they are retrieving it down in the middle of the night, call 911. Don't take action by yourself. There are customers on the other end of that cable that will be impacted. Both wireless customers, because there could be fiber coming down with that copper, as well as consumers, as well as businesses. If you see something, say it. Awesome. Well, thank you so much, Todd. I just want to go ahead and give them a final look of that copper. Fiber. And there you go. And I was talking to a crew member here, and he tells me that just yesterday they had to report to the field because someone had cut down the copper. So I'm going to go ahead and send things back to you guys. And Maria, as you do send it back to us, I put up a number there on the screen, 800-807-4205, and I'll let it hang there for a second. If you have any Any information about copper thefts to give that. Number a call. And again, AT&T offering up $10,000 for the arrest and conviction of those responsible for copper thefts. Maria Guzman and AT&T out there bringing us the latest. Maria, thanks.