Saturday 24 December 2022

Thieves in Fredericton are stealing copper right from the power poles 'almost daily'

Thieves in Fredericton are stealing copper right from the power poles 'almost daily'

Bell Aliant says thieves have knocked out services more than 50 times since October

According to Bell Aliant, thieves have cut and stolen their lines directly from power poles in the dead of night more than 50 times since October.

"It's brazen," said Dana Lohnes, Bell Aliant's director of field operations for Atlantic Canada. "A lot of the sites that they are vandalizing are in very, very public areas, like right on the side of main roads."

Lohnes said his company has video footage of thieves using metal grinders they've attached to telescopic poles in order to cut lines from the ground without ever having to climb a pole. Once the lines are cut, he said thieves quickly separate the copper ones from the others and leave.

Some thieves have stolen more than 200 metres of copper lines at once.

He said since Oct. 8, these thefts have all happened between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m. almost every night. Lohnes said he's responsible for the network in all of Atlantic Canada, but these thefts on this scale are only happening in the Fredericton area. 

Head and shoulders shot of a smiling man. Dana Lohnes, Bell Aliant's director of field operations for Atlantic Canada, said copper thieves have been cutting internet cables in Fredericton almost every night since October. (Submitted by Bell Aliant)

On Wednesday night, he said thieves cut lines in Hanwell and in Lincoln. On Monday night, they stole wire from Fredericton's north side on the corner of Sunset Drive and Route 105. Police say that single outage saw thieves slash wires in several spots that affected internet, TV, and phone lines for more than 800 customers.

"It was noted that wires had been cut from multiple poles in the area which affected Fibre Op customers internet and phone line services in the area as well as services in the Douglas, Currie Mountain and Carlisle Rd. Area," wrote Fredericton police spokesperson Sonya Gilks in an email.

 A Bell-Aliant worker repairs fibre-op lines that were cut by thieves on Fredericton's north side earlier this week.A Bell Aliant worker repairs fibre-op lines that were cut by thieves on Fredericton's north side earlier this week. (Shane Fowler/CBC)

The fibre-optic cable that carries Bell Aliant's internet and TV services is the collateral damage in these thefts. The high-speed internet cables are intertwined with Bell's "legacy" network — copper cables that are mostly responsible for carrying landline services.

When thieves cut one wire, though, they cut them all, but they only leave with the copper lines. Bell Aliant said they're trying to replace those stolen copper cables with smaller cables that have less copper and aren't as valuable.

"You might think that they would try to be a little more discreet, but it's been pretty brazen," said Lohnes.

He stopped short of calling it organized. He said that's a classification he'll leave to the police. But he did say Bell Aliant has started hiring their own security companies "to literally patrol the streets of these impacted areas nightly." 

Bell-Aliant has found itself needing to repair lines in Fredericton nearly every night due to thieves cutting and stealing communications cables directly from poles. Bell Aliant has found itself needing to repair lines in Fredericton nearly every night due to thieves cutting and stealing communications cables directly from poles. (Shane Fowler/CBC)

Each night, immediately after an outage is detected, Lohnes said Bell Aliant is dispatching their security teams and calling police. 

"We've rolled up on them a couple of times, which has sent them scurrying into the woods, that type of thing," said Lohnes. 

He said in the last few weeks, five arrests have been made, but he said it hasn't decreased the number of times thieves have struck. 

"Which is surprising," said Lohnes. "You would think people might start to lay low after arrests, but unfortunately that's not been the case." 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Shane Fowler

Reporter

Shane Fowler has been a CBC journalist based in Fredericton since 2013.

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99 Comments
 
 
David Amos 
Deja Vu Anyone?

Province taking steps to curb catalytic converter thefts

Amendments will be introduced Tuesday in the legislative assembly, says public safety minister

CBC News · Posted: Oct 31, 2022

"Austin said he will be introducing amendments to the Salvage Dealers Licensing Act on Tuesday which will make it harder to sell stolen catalytic converters and other commonly stolen goods like plumber's lead, brass valves, copper, lead flashing and copper wire."
 
 
Sam Smithers  
Reply to David Amos  
And it has made a difference, but it is not going to stop everyone

 
David Amos
Reply to Sam Smithers 
Obviously not

4 arrested after copper-wire thefts kept knocking out internet services

Police in Fredericton and Oromocto areas seize copper wire and other telecommunications lines

CBC News · Posted: Dec 05, 2022 
 
 
Sam Smithers  
Reply to David Amos 
The car lot owners who were losing converters say otherwise. Again, it is not going to stop everyone
 
 
David Amos
Reply to Sam Smithers 
Just this week my neighbour has had the converters stolen of his company's truck for the eighth time this year   
 
 
Marcel Belanger
Reply to David Amos
Yep, the thieves just take them out of province. That was just another austin bandaid, and one that doesn’t stick to boot.  
 
 
David Amos
Reply to Marcel Belanger
Bingo 
 
 
Sam Smithers  
Reply to David Amos
If it has happened 8 times he might want to think about some security, just a suggestion. 
 
 
Sam Smithers  
Reply to Marcel Belanger 
Maybe Austin can start patrolling all the power lines in the province, seem reasonable d!m one.  
 
 
Sam Smithers  
Reply to Marcel Belanger  
So it is the current gov'ts fault other provinces have weaker legislation around this, you keep getting dimmer by the day.  
 
 
David Amos  
Reply to Sam Smithers  
Austin has not bothered to investigate the evidence of crime that his predecessor Brad Green acknowledged receipt of in 2004  
 
 
David Amos
Reply to Sam Smithers 
He keeps most of the trucks indoors The security are called the taxpayer funded cops and they merely tried to accuse him of doing it instead of investigating the evidence laying under the truck 
 
 
Lou Bell 
Reply to David Amos 
These thefts will be deemed not a theft problem , but a mental health problem , the new norm replacing having " a drinking problem " and " a drug problem " as the reasons for giving a slap on the wrist from the past . Serving no jail time and getting back out there " in the real world " and getting back to crime ASAP keeps our Lawyers in business , and the more crime , the more money in their pockets !  
d NOTHING !  
 
 
David Amos  
Reply to Lou Bell  
Imagine you and I agreeing on something other than the political value of butter tarts? Methinks amazing things never cease N'esy Pas? 
 
 
Lou Bell 
Reply to Marcel Belanger  
Well at least a bandaid was applied ! The liberals did NOTHING ! 
 
 
Lou Bell 
Reply to Sam Smithers
Well the Liberals did nothing about it ! They sat in their office chairs and just collected a paycheck ! 
 
 
Lou Bell
Reply to David Amos
Ah the " woe is me " Davie is back ! 
 
 
David Amos 
Reply to Lou Bell
"Woe is me" ??? If that were remotely true then why comment within this thread then insult me after I agreed with you???    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
David Amos
Many years ago Bell ran their high speed Internet Cable on its way to Moncton etc straight through the fields of friend's rather large farm outside of Peticodiac without seeking his permission claiming that they had the right to so. They offered High Speed Internet to everyone in Peticodiac right up to within a mile from his farm. Although the cable was buried it was often exposed where it crossed a stream where his herd of 135 head drank. Hence often times the cattle traffic would bring the cable to the surface and start stomping on it etc. The farmer would call Bell and warn them their cable was in trouble for no reason I understood in light the fact he no Internet at all and i had to use dial up to access the web when I visited his place. 
 
 
John Geldart 
Reply to David Amos
arrest that cow now! 
 
 
David Amos
Reply to John Geldart
Why? She was the one with the true right of way 
 
 
David Amos
Reply to David Amos 
The point of my story was that the High Speed Internet provider decided to cut corners and save a lot of bucks by burying their cable through farmland in a beeline to Moncton instead of paying NB Power "a Crown Corp owned by us" for the use of their poles. Obviously their lawyers bullied the farmers claiming that they had the right to so but clearly the cows did not care for such nonsense.

That said methinks the wealthy Internet provider should have been decent enough to offer the farmers access to their services N'esy Pas?

 
 
 
 
 
Sandra Boudreau
find out who's buying this stuff.  
 
 
David Amos 
Reply to Sandra Boudreau
Bingo
 
 
Chris Waddell 
Reply to Sandra Boudreau
In Vancouver it got so bad that people were bringing in parts of phone booths with the Telus logo right on them. 
 
Police started to do random checks at the scrap metal businesses and I believe that they even passed some new law's making the scrap metal shops more liable for items they bought that they should have called the police. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rhys Philbin 
Hey RCMP. Find out who’s buying scrap copper.
This ain’t rocket science. 
 
 
David Amos 
Reply to Rhys Philbin 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Jack Offermen  
Bell lays off half the workforce of NBTel, and oops; years later with no suitable replacement jobs for thousands of linemen, and increasing costs of living, copper is stolen almost daily right from the lines.
Bring real jobs back to New Brunswick, and watch our crime rate plummet. We dont need more call centers and gas stations, we need manufacturers and tech firms.  
 
 
Samual Johnston 
Content Deactivated 
 
 
Jack Offermen  
Reply to Samual Johnston 
way to ignore 95% of what was said, try again.
 
 
Steve Simonds
Reply to Jack Offermen    
I give him 9 out of 10 for humour though. 
 
 
Mark Murphy 
Reply to Jack Offermen   
with the tax rate there nevr going to happen 
 
 
David Amos 
Reply to Steve Simonds 
Methinks somebody saw no humour N'esy Pas? 
 
 
 
 
 
Rosco holt
Is fiber made of copper? 
 
 
Mark Murphy 
Reply to Rosco holt 
No
 
 
David Amos 
Reply to Mark Murphy 
Ditto 
 
 
 
 
 
 
June Arnott
They have to sell it somewhere which means a scrap yard is taking it illegally. Why cant police figure this out?  
 
 
Steve Simonds
Reply to June Arnott 
Maybe 99% of scrap yards biz isn't from thieves?
 
 
Michel David Letourneau 
Reply to June Arnott 
The police know perfectly well what is going on. It's the slap on the wrist courts who won't do anything.  
 
David Amos  
Reply to Michel David Letourneau  
Yup 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
David Spenner 
Bell’s copper network should not even exist. It’s been obsolete since the 90s. It’s funny when you see a new road go in and they run copper lines. Pure insanity. 
 
I’m guessing corporate is scared to have the stock drop if they depreciate those assets to their true value. 
 
 
Steve Simonds
Reply to David Spenner
I often wonder if people making these comments are serious.
 
 
Mark Murphy 
Reply to David Spenner
what a crock and has nothing to do with theft   
 
 
Mark Murphy 
Reply to Steve Simonds
Most NB'ers are anti Irving and stupid , Thats why i left that bankrupt joint years ago 
 
 
Dan Lee 
Reply to Mark Murphy  
And stay outttttttt  
 
 
Rusty Shackleford 
Reply to Mark Murphy
And we were glad to see you go.
 
 
David Spenner 
Reply to Steve Simonds
Maybe I am slightly tangential to the topic, but very serious. Did you not understand what I wrote? When the put up a fiber, they bind it (place together and wrap wire around it) to the previous copper lines that are obsolete. 
 
Copper will have value as scrap....long off into the future. The fiber has no salvage value.
 
 
David Spenner 
Reply to Mark Murphy 
Are you saying you disagree? I think everything I stated is very well known facts, but maybe not for the layperson. You do realize copper has very low bandwidth and traffic is all internet based now?  
 
 
David Amos
Reply to David Spenner
For what it is worth I agree with you 
 
 
David Spenner 
Reply to David Amos
thanks!    

 


 

4 arrested after copper-wire thefts kept knocking out internet services

Police in Fredericton and Oromocto areas seize copper wire and other telecommunications lines

Four people have been arrested after a string of copper-wire thefts in Fredericton and Oromocto, RCMP said Monday.

Since September, the thefts in the Fredericton and Oromocto areas have amounted to more than $1.4 million in losses suffered by households, businesses and government departments, the RCMP said in a news release.

The repeated thefts have left residents without some TV, internet and phone services for varying periods of time. Bell Aliant said the system had suffered four significant outages since September and 40 instances of vandalism.

One of the more recent instances left 850 Oromocto and Lincoln residents without Bell services after copper wire was stolen on Nov. 29. 

Police seize copper wire

RCMP said they arrested the first of four individuals, a 33-year-old man, on Nov. 23 during their investigation into copper-wire thefts, but he was taken into custody on "unrelated matters."

Police searched a residence in Geary that same day and seized "a significant quantity of copper wire and related materials."

On Nov. 29, police arrested two men and a woman, all in their 30s, at the scene after they were found loading copper wire into a vehicle, said the release. 

The three were released from custody and will appear in Fredericton provincial court at a later date. The specific charges against them were not revealed.

The next day, police searched a Haneytown residence, where they seized "a significant quantity of copper wire, as well as other telecommunication lines," RCMP said.

Effect on community

The investigation into the thefts continues.

"These copper wire thefts have had significant impacts on our community, and our members have worked diligently to gather the evidence needed to make these arrests," said Cpl. Dan Sharpe of the West District RCMP.

"We would also like to encourage anyone who is purchasing salvaged parts or metals to ensure the product has been legally acquired."

New amendments were introduced in New Brunswick on Nov. 1 to the Salvage Dealers Licensing Act to make it harder to sell stolen catalytic converters and other commonly stolen goods such as plumber's lead, brass valves, copper, lead flashing and copper wire.

The RCMP release said people who see suspicious activity near power poles or electrical substations should contact local police.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Hannah Rudderham is a journalist with CBC New Brunswick. She grew up in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and moved to Fredericton to go to St. Thomas University in 2018. She recently graduated with a bachelor of arts in journalism. You can send story tips to hannah.rudderham@cbc.ca.

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices


 

Province taking steps to curb catalytic converter thefts

Amendments will be introduced Tuesday in the legislative assembly, says public safety minister

"Once a catalytic converter is stolen, it's often taken to a salvage dealer in the province and sold for a couple hundred dollars. But it can cost thousands of dollars for the victims to replace these devices on their vehicles," said Austin, during a news conference at St. Croix Auto in Fredericton. 

Austin said he will be introducing amendments to the Salvage Dealers Licensing Act on Tuesday which will make it harder to sell stolen catalytic converters and other commonly stolen goods like plumber's lead, brass valves, copper, lead flashing and copper wire. 

The amendments would double the fines for salvage dealers who don't comply, said Austin. One of the more significant amendments being introduced, he said, is one prohibiting salvage dealers from paying cash for catalytic converters or other high-theft items. 

Instead, they'll need to pay using cheque, e-transfer or another traceable method, said Austin.

"We know that in many of these cases, those who are stealing these items, they're doing it for quick and easy cash," he said. "By creating a paper trail, we aim to deter criminals from committing these crimes."

Man in RCMP uniform stands in front of cars. Andy LeClair, the RCMP superintendent for the west district of New Brunswick, said car dealerships are often a target for catalytic converter theft. (Ed Hunter/CBC)

Austin said other proposed amendments would add catalytic converters and vehicle batteries to the list of high-theft items that require salvage dealers to record date of purchase, price paid, and the name and address of the person who sold the item. 

Salvage dealers will also be required to record a government-issued identification document for high-theft items along with registration information of the vehicle from which the catalytic converter was removed.

Underside of a vehicle. LeClair said catalytic converter thefts have increased across the country in the last few years, noting that in New Brunswick, catalytic converter theft is higher in the Moncton area. (David Mercer/CBC)

"We are focused on making the lives of criminals harder," said Austin. "And these amendments will do just that."

Andy LeClair, the RCMP superintendent for the west district of New Brunswick, said to reporters that the new amendments will put the province in a better position to close down the market for stolen goods. He said it's been done successfully in other provinces.

LeClair said catalytic converter thefts have increased across the country in the last few years, noting that in New Brunswick, catalytic converter theft is higher in the Moncton area.

He said car dealerships are often a target. 

Jonathan Brawn, managing partner and general manager at St. Croix Auto, said in the last six to eight months, they've had about 12 catalytic converters stolen from their dealership. He said it's a significant issue with other dealerships, too. 

Jonathan Brawn, managing partner and general manager at St. Croix Auto, said in the last six to eight months, they’ve lost approximately 12 catalytic converters to thieves. (Ed Hunter/CBC)

Brawn said they have cameras and have paid people to watch the dealerships in the evening due to the thefts. 

Austin said the problem likely won't be completely eliminated and Brawn agreed.

"But if we can go from 10 problems to two problems, that's much more manageable," said Brawn. "No system or legislation will cure all sins or make it perfect. But I do think this is going to greatly reduce the impact, which is a step in the right direction."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Hannah Rudderham is a journalist with CBC New Brunswick. She grew up in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and moved to Fredericton to go to St. Thomas University in 2018. She recently graduated with a bachelor of arts in journalism. You can send story tips to hannah.rudderham@cbc.ca.

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices

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