Copper is the New Gold. Thieves Target Copper Wire Phone Lines
<<<... As the price of copper continues to climb, currently $3.00 a pound, so does the temptation to steal it. Thieves today are stealing copper wire to then sell it to scrap metal yards for a nice profit. Although this kind of theft is nothing new, authorities have seen this in years past, the amount of copper being stolen is what is catching their attention. In the past, copper wire theft was seen almost like a small infraction because it was random and not done too often. Perhaps it was a drug addict stealing some copper plaques from a church to score the next fix, but today copper theft is growing with each year. Damages from these thefts are costing phone companies hundreds of thousands of dollars. It is no longer just a copper downspout here or an AC unit there; it more like thieves stealing miles of telephone copper wire for the fourth time in one month and leaving hundreds of people without phone service, and the latter is the major problem. When thieves steal telephone copper wire that can leave hundreds of phone customers without service until the repair men can fix the problem. What if you were one of those unfortunate folks and to make matters worse you had an emergency? How would you call for help without a phone? Copper wire theft is a growing problem that might just take a community to bring it to a stop. Let us all do our part, so if you see any suspicious activity just make sure to call your local law enforcement.
Company News; Long-distance Phone Merger Adds Third Company
Two long-distance telephone companies, the Metromedia Communications Corporation and the Resurgens Communications Group, which last month agreed to merge, yesterday said that the deal now included a third carrier, LDDS Communications Inc. of Jackson, Miss. The companies said the move, subject to regulatory and shareholder approval, would create the nation's fourth-largest long-distance network, with expected revenues of $1.5 billion. Under the deal, LDDS shareholders would own more than 68 percent in the combined companies. John W. Kluge, chairman of Metromedia, which is based in East Rutherford, N.J., would be chairman of the new venture and Bernard J. Ebbers, LDDS's president and chief executive, would be president and chief executive.