California's copper crisis: thieves target networks, costing millions

Southern California is grappling with an escalating crisis: relentless copper theft that's crippling telecommunications infrastructure and costing AT&T over $82 million annually. What began as sporadic incidents has morphed into a brazen, organized effort threatening vital services and demanding immediate action.

The scale of the problem: a staggering toll

The numbers paint a grim picture. By the end of 2025, AT&T reported a staggering 10,400 instances of copper theft across the United States, averaging 200 incidents weekly. California, unsurprisingly, bears the brunt of this wave, accounting for over 7,300 thefts and a financial hit exceeding $54 million. As Rahdeese Alcutt, AT&T’s Lead Investigator for Global Security, bluntly put it, the theft is occurring “more frequently” and “on a much larger scale” than ever before.

The reality on the ground, according to Alcutt, is even more unsettling. He routinely accompanies law enforcement and AT&T technicians, witnessing firsthand the daily toll. “There are days when hundreds of copper theft incidents occur,” he states, underscoring the sheer volume of damage and the relentless pace of repairs.

Beyond opportunism: organized crime at work

But this isn't just about opportunistic scavenging. Evidence suggests a disturbing level of organization. Thieves are employing heavy machinery and coordinating their efforts to strike the same lines simultaneously. This level of planning points to a more sophisticated criminal enterprise, one that’s proving increasingly difficult for AT&T to counter, despite the deployment of new detection technology and physical security upgrades. The situation, Alcutt notes, is now “systematic,” extending beyond major metropolitan areas to impact smaller cities and towns.

The problem isn’t limited to AT&T’s infrastructure. Railroads, transit systems, power utilities, HVAC contractors, and even city lighting are all vulnerable targets—anywhere copper can be found, it's a potential mark for thieves. The pervasive nature of the problem highlights a systemic weakness in protecting critical infrastructure across the region.

A call for stronger action: more than just technology

While AT&T is investing in upgrades, the solution isn't solely technological. Alcutt’s blog post, aptly titled