Thieves who began stealing Frontier Communications lines around Labor Day have knocked out telephone and Internet service for possibly 600 customers in the Chelyan area, said a Frontier spokesman.
Andy Malinoski said about 1,500 feet of copper cables were stolen from an area between MacCorkle Avenue and James River Road, behind the railroad tracks across from the Chelyan Dollar General. He said Frontier was working to return service to the area when wires were again stolen.
"We went back to replace it, and in the process of us replacing it they stole it again, and then they went to another location," Malinoski said.
He said the company hopes to return service by the end of the week.
In a news release, the Kanawha County Sheriff's Office said it's investigating the crime, and it has released photos taken from surveillance cameras at a recycling center where "a large amount of copper was recently brought." The release states the recycling center refused to buy the material and called police.
"Many people in this area rely on their landline phone service in the event of an emergency," the release states.
Those will information can call the Sheriff's Office at 304-357-0169 or the Frontier Security Operations Center at 800-590-6605. You can also submit tips at kanawhasheriff.us or email tips@kanawhasheriff.us.
Malinoski said stealing the cables is a federal crime that endangers the criminals, who could be electrocuted while trying to steal lines, as well as Chelyan residents.
"If you have a Life Alert system, it doesn't work right now," he said. "It's a dangerous thing."