Metals, particularly AT&T telecommunications wire, have been an increasingly popular target among thieves.
FORT WORTH, Texas — The city of Fort Worth has experienced a dramatic increase in copper wire theft, a trend that disrupts residents’ ability to contact emergency services and conduct business, police said.
Thefts routinely target telecommunications wire owned by AT&T, according to a report from the Fort Worth Police Department. Other businesses, such as Charter Spectrum, have also experienced an increase in thefts, police say.
In the past two years, the city has experienced a 545% increase in reported AT&T cable thefts, and a 53% increase in metal theft overall.
“This trend not only imposes financial burdens on companies like AT&T but also threatens public safety by disrupting critical infrastructure,” the department said. “Thousands of residents have suffered service interruptions, impacting internet and telephone connectivity and creating vulnerabilities in emergency response, medical support and everyday business operations.”
Between October 2022 and October 2024, there were 142 cases of AT&T cable theft, according to the reports. In summer 2024, the number of thefts hit a high of over 25 thefts in one month, police said. Most of the thefts occurred in east Fort Worth, the report states. Between October 2020 and October 2022, just 22 cases of cable theft were reported.
To combat the theft, the Fort Worth Police Department’s Metal Theft Unit established a work group to focus on preventing theft, the report states. To date, 20 people have been arrested for crimes involving metal theft, police said.
The metal theft unit has also carried out inspections at recycling facilities to ensure compliance with state law and local ordinances, the report states. The city also plans to petition the legislature for stronger laws to prevent theft, police said.
“Following the 88th Texas Legislature’s strengthened law for theft of catalytic converter, thieves have increasingly turned to other regulated metals, particularly telecommunications cable mounted on utility poles,” the report states. “With millions of miles of this critical infrastructure spanning towns across the nation, the cables have become easy targets.”
