Copper Wire Thefts Continue

Despite efforts to reduce the theft of copper wire, incidents continue across the country.  On January 23, 2026, three men were arrested in Broward County, Florida for allegedly stealing “tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of copper wiring and tools.”

These thefts have dire consequences for telecommunications networks and every business and consumer that relies on them for phone calls, including 911 emergency services, and working on the internet.

Copper prices rose by more than 30 percent in 2025, exacerbating the vandalism of communications equipment in cities like Los Angeles, where there was already a tenfold increase in copper theft and vandalism between 2017 and 2022.  These thefts impact businesses and customers of telecommunications companies like AT&T.  One of its manholes was opened in the middle of a street in L.A. in January 2025, causing the loss of service to local customers.  It was replaced by a 2,000-pound steel plate in July, but that failed to stop the next theft.  Finally, the company sealed the opening with concrete.

The Federal Communications Commission adopted a notice of proposed rulemaking at its July 25, 2025, to accelerate the upgrade of telecommunications systems away from copper wire infrastructure, but more needs to be done.

Members of Congress are attempting to deter the ongoing disruptions caused by copper wire theft.  Current federal law imposes criminal penalties only for vandalizing government-owned networks.  On April 10, 2025, Reps. Laurel Lee (R-Fla.) and Marc Veasey (D-Texas) introduced H.R. 2784, the Stopping the Theft and Destruction of Broadband Act of 2025, which would extend those penalties to attacks on privately operated communications networks.

Protecting infrastructure from the theft of copper wire by speeding up the modernization of telecommunications systems and enhancing criminal penalties are essential to ensuring that American businesses and consumers can continue to rely on uninterrupted access to the services they need.