A sharp rise in copper thefts has a major telecommunications company sounding the alarm.
Bell says New Brunswick has emerged as one of the nation’s hotspots for copper thefts.
There have been more than 80 incidents this year, with about 75 to 80 per cent of them in the Fredericton and Oromocto areas.
“Copper theft is a serious crime that directly threatens the safety and well-being of Canadians,” Mark McDonald, EVP and chief technology officer at Bell Canada, said in a news release.
“These thefts are not just about stolen copper; the perpetrators often damage other infrastructure such as fibre cable and the crime can potentially put lives at risk when people can’t call 911 as a result of the damage.”
The company said it has taken steps to combat the problem, such as installing tamper alarms and deploying more security guards.
It is also urging provincial and federal governments to increase penalties and amending the Criminal Code.
So far this year, Bell has recorded more than 500 cases of copper thefts, with Ontario and Quebec also deemed as hard-hit areas.
The company encourages the public to report suspicious activity near telecom infrastructure to local authorities.
