Over 25,000 homes and businesses in Southern California lost internet and cable service after copper thieves vandalized critical infrastructure in Van Nuys. The incident occurred late Saturday, June 15, when criminals attempted to steal copper wiring from utility lines, mistakenly targeting Spectrum’s fiber-optic cables that contain no copper. The resulting damage caused widespread outages across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, with full service not restored until Monday, June 17.
The criminals severed multiple fiber lines, cutting off internet, television, and phone access. Spectrum confirmed the act was a deliberate vandalism and is cooperating with the Los Angeles Police Department in the investigation. The company is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible. In response to the outage, Spectrum issued a one-day credit to affected customers.
This incident highlights a surge in copper-related crime across California. From June to December 2024, nearly 1,805 incidents were reported statewide, accounting for over one-third of such crimes in the United States. Thieves commonly target infrastructure such as utility poles, construction sites, and traffic systems, driven by high global copper prices. In many cases, as in Van Nuys, the targeted infrastructure contains no copper at all, causing unnecessary damage and service disruptions.
State officials, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, are working to combat the rise in theft. Measures under review include tighter regulations for scrap metal sales, improved tracking systems at recycling centers, and the implementation of protective coatings on exposed wiring. Despite these efforts, many thefts go unsolved, and public safety continues to be compromised.
