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911 services interrupted after B.C. wire thieves cause $100k in damage

Police in Abbotsford are asking residents to report all suspicious behaviour near the lines.

Thieves who targeted Telus communication lines and stole wires in Abbotsford, B.C., have caused more than $100,000 in damage while disrupting people's ability to call 911.

Abbotsford Police Department’s crime reduction unit has been investigating an uptick in commercial wire thefts throughout the community.

Sgt. Paul Walker says the thefts have resulted in more than $100,000 worth of damage to Telus infrastructure.

The thefts have also interrupted critical calls to police, firefighters and ambulance crews, as well as other telecommunication services. 

Police are looking for dash-camera footage or video from two specific areas where the thefts are under investigation: On Oct. 17 between 5 and 7:30 a.m. in the 1000 block of McCallum Road and on Oct. 23 between 4 and 7:30 a.m. in the 4500 block of Sumas Mountain Road. 

The only people working on the lines would be people with fully identifiable uniforms; anyone else, said police, would be suspicious. 

Anyone with information is asked to email police at [email protected] and cite file 2024-43368.