The Brief

Copper wire thieves have struck the Oakland Hills three times in a single week, causing repeated internet service disruptions.

AT&T crews were seen repairing damage at Skyline Boulevard and Keller Avenue after cables were cut and utility poles were toppled.

AT&T is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for stealing copper cable.

OAKLAND, Calif. – The city of Oakland said copper wire thieves are creating serious public safety concerns across the city, affecting traffic signals and cable services.

Oakland’s electrical crews are struggling to keep up.

Power troubles

Local perspective

In the Oakland hills, residents are expressing growing frustration after a string of copper thefts left the neighborhood without internet connectivity for much of the past week.

The damage, centered at the corner of Skyline Boulevard and Keller Avenue, is where utility poles were knocked down over a walking trail.

Ron Cordell, a neighbor, said he witnessed a large bundle of cable on the ground that had been severed, with copper wiring visibly exposed.

“It’s very disruptive when we lose that kind of connectivity,” Cordell said. “We have things to do, you know?”

What we know

An AT&T spokesperson confirmed that fiber and copper cables were cut twice last week, noting that those specific incidents were resolved within hours.

However, neighbors reported a third incident occurred Friday.

One anonymous neighbor stated that this marks the fifth time the area has been targeted since February.

Widespread issue

Big picture view

The issue extends beyond the hills.

The city of Oakland reported that unprecedented wire theft and vandalism are currently impacting traffic signals and streetlights across the city.

Additionally, Xfinity reported more than 2,000 outages in the downtown area on Monday following damage to fiber lines.

Despite the rain, crews worked Monday to restore services to the area.

AT&T officials stated they are coordinating with the Oakland Police Department to address the thefts.

What’s next

AT&T is currently offering a $20,000 reward in California for information leading to the arrest and conviction of copper cable thieves, or anyone involved in the sale or purchase of stolen copper.

Requests for comment from the city of Oakland and the Oakland Police Department were not returned.

While Comcast reported services were restored by 5:30 p.m., AT&T did not provide a timeline for fixing the damage in the hills.

The Source

KTVU Interviews and reporting, AT&T, Comcast