AT&T Believes ‘Organized Crime’ is Behind Copper Theft
Copper theft cost AT&T $82 million in 2025
WASHINGTON, April 6, 2026 – Copper has long been a target of theft, and telecom companies believe there’s more to it than random acts of crime.
In a blog post released on Friday, AT&T highlighted the level of sophistication in copper line theft and called for community support in small towns and cities around the country to notify law enforcement of suspicious activity.
Rahdeese Alcutt, lead investigator for AT&T Global Security, said that any systems that use copper including railroads, city lighting and transit systems, are potential targets.
“We are seeing clear evidence of organized crime, such as the use of heavy machinery and coordinated thefts on the same lines at the same time,” Alcutt said. “In California alone, we experienced more than 7,300 copper theft incidents in 2025, with losses exceeding $54 million.”
California lawmakers have taken notice and passed AB476, a Metal Theft law that increased reporting requirements for scrapyards while increasing fines and penalties for those caught in the act. This law was enacted in October of last year.
According to Alcultt, AT&T has committed to upgrading aging infrastructure across its network and has invested billions of dollars to do so. However, thieves are using a level of sophistication and coordination that is stripping lines faster than they can be replaced, and often goes unreported for weeks or months.
Thefts of copper infrastructure are happening across the country and affecting other critical infrastructure such as 911 call centers and fiber lines. Lynn Follansbee, vice president of strategic initiatives and partnerships at USTelecom – The Broadband Association noted on a call with Broadband Breakfast in 2025, that due to the high rate of return, thieves are climbing poles and grabbing whatever they get their hands on. This could include fiber lines, which disrupts service for users.
Alcutt hopes that states will make efforts to pass stronger laws as they invest in anti-theft technology to assist with detection. However, they hope the public will be their eyes and ears on the ground as they work to reduce these incidents.
“When these systems are hit, it’s not just 'network reliability' at stake. It’s a commute that breaks down and a neighborhood [is] left in the dark.” Alcutt said
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