For Immediate Release
Cell Tower Copper Theft
Viaero Wireless was victimized for the third time in just a few months in the early morning hours of Monday, March 3rd. The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to Yuma County roads U and 31 after Viaero’s automated security system was triggered. When Sheriff’s Deputies arrived just after 2 A.M., they found that a large quantity of wire had been removed through a junction box connected to the tower. It appears that the unknown suspects in this case used a vehicle to pull the wire off of the tower site. Evidence was collected from the scene as well as from the county road a few miles away.
On December 3rd, this same site was stripped, and on February 20th, a tower was stripped in the same way at Yuma County roads D and 54. These kinds of tower sites have been targets for metal thieves for the last couple of years in Morgan and Washington counties, but these are the first reported incidents like this in Yuma County.
Yuma County Sheriff Chad Day asks that county residents be diligent and aware of suspicious vehicles, especially near these tower sites, and to report any suspicious activity to 332-4805. Viaero is considering using a different, less valuable material as replacement wire at these sites. They have been a major target across the region for these thieves.
Keep an eye out for this case in the upcoming crimestoppers listing.
End of Release