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Cable thieves hit PTI equipment
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Posted on Nov 03 2006
Cable wire thieves struck anew at two Pacific Telecom Inc. telephone cabinets in Kagman, robbing them of about 30 lbs or 15 feet of copper wires on Oct. 27.
Pacific Telecom Inc. is asking CNMI residents to help in the identification of those responsible for this theft.
The cabling was cut on Friday, Oct. 27, and repair crews restored service to all homes on Tuesday, Oct. 31. The cost of the repairs was approximately $5,000, according to a PTI statement.
The theft in Kagman involved live telephone cables, creating a disruption of service and a very serious public safety issue due to the disruption.
“We want the community to understand that theft and/or resale of telephone wiring and equipment is a federal crime and that PTI, as well as the FBI and DPS, take this very seriously,” said Velma Palacios, head of Network Operations for PTI.
“Since this occurred in a populated area, we would hope that someone saw something and will notify the authorities,” she added.
Crime Stoppers will offer up to $1,000 cash reward for information leading to an arrest. All calls are anonymous and caller ID is not used. Call Crime Stoppers at 234-7272 or log on to www.nmicrimestoppers.com to submit a secure and confidential online tip. As a federal offense, violators can be prosecuted and jailed for up to 10 years.
In September, cabling was stolen from two locations in Kagman and Santa Lourdes. This most recent incident involved active phone lines and is much more serious.
“PTI’s is concerned that, in the event of an emergency, affected customers would not be able to call 911 because of the wires being cut,” said Kathryn Barry, regional marketing manager for PTI. “We are literally begging the CNMI community to help put a stop to this before someone’s life is put in danger. Please call Crime Stoppers, the FBI or DPS if you have any information that might help us solve this crime.”
PTI recognizes the importance of reliable communication. These criminals are stealing not only physical property from PTI, but from CNMI residents as well since added costs increase the cost of service to customers. [B][I](PR)
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