A recent incident in Van Nuys has caused significant internet outages across parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Spectrum, the telecommunications company affected, reported that the disruption was due to an attempted theft involving fiber-optic cables.
Early on Sunday morning, vandals cut through multiple fiber lines, believing they contained copper. However, Spectrum clarified that their fiber-optic cables do not contain any copper. The damage was extensive, leading to widespread service interruptions that began around 2 a.m. Many users took to social media to express their frustration, especially since the outage occurred on Father’s Day.
Dennis Johnson, a spokesperson for Spectrum, confirmed that the vandalism affected services not only in Van Nuys but also in various areas throughout Los Angeles and Ventura. Technicians worked throughout the day to restore services, managing to fix issues in Ventura by the morning and continuing repairs in Los Angeles into the afternoon.
The company noted that restoring the service involves a time-consuming process of splicing the damaged fiber lines. They have brought in additional crews to assist with the repairs, as thousands of splices were needed.
Spectrum’s statement highlighted that incidents like this are becoming more common across the telecommunications industry, largely due to the rising value of metals like copper. These acts of vandalism not only disrupt services for customers but can also impact local businesses and emergency services.
In response to this crime, Spectrum is collaborating with the Los Angeles Police Department and is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Spectrum or local law enforcement.
This incident serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by utility companies in maintaining infrastructure and the ongoing issue of metal theft, which has significant repercussions for communities.