FLOW recovers stolen copper in Riverton
Published:Friday | June 21, 2024 | 12:10 AM
Telecommunications company FLOW on Thursday recovered a portion of copper wires stolen from its network in an operation in Riverton, St Andrew.
The company has reportedly lost some $44 million worth of copper because of theft and vandalism in recent months.
According to a source who was part of the investigation, the probe took place over a year and the wires were found at a well-secured facility.
“On the premises, [there were] some crocus bags filled with burnt copper cables, which is illegal,” said the source who opted to remain anonymous.
Cause of service outages
At the time the insider spoke with The Gleaner on Thursday, the police were still making an effort to contact the owner or owners of the premises.
In a press release on Thursday, FLOW lamented the impact the theft of copper wires has had on its network.
“This scourge has been the foremost cause of service outages to residential and business customers over the last several years. Havendale and Red Hills in St Andrew are among communities plagued by the criminals in recent months, as part of a long-standing series of theft and vandalism that has continued to plague the company and tens of thousands of its customers, despite comprehensive security measures,” the company said.
Michael Brown, its director of technology operations, said the company was “incredibly grateful for the recovery of the stolen copper.
“This is a testament to the effectiveness of our collaborative efforts with law enforcement and our internal security measures. It is also a crucial step in deterring criminals who continue to plague our network, which our customers depend on daily,” he added.
FLOW also applauded the vigilance of the security forces in their efforts to recover stolen copper that had been illegally removed from the company’s network infrastructure.
Since the start of the year, at least 17 communities across the island have been impacted by copper theft.