Published
Video length: 3 min
Cable thefts are increasing in certain municipalities
Cable thefts are becoming more and more frequent, a lucrative little trade for thieves who resell these copper wires for thousands of euros per ton. This has the effect of cutting certain cities off from the world.
(France 2)
Cable thefts are becoming more and more frequent, a lucrative little trade for thieves who resell these copper wires for thousands of euros per ton. This has the effect of cutting certain cities off from the world.
In Famars, in the suburbs of Valenciennes (North), the village is almost disconnected. Indeed, an 800 meter copper telephone cable was stolen. For a month, most residents have had neither landline telephone nor internet. This causes the isolation of many people, especially the elderly. In the village café, all the gaming machines are stopped due to the cable being stolen. In the village, nearly six out of ten homes are still cut off. Despite several complaints, the mayor still has no solutions.
Three years in prison and 45,000 euros fine
The 800 meters of stolen cables are in addition to the 1,200 km that Orange was stolen last year in France. Consequence: repair times lengthen. Behind the thefts, there are organized networks, attracted by the copper contained in the cables. This metal is sold for 8,000 euros per tonne. The police are trying to fight against this trafficking; a network was dismantled in the Lot last January. Generally, as soon as the metal is stolen, it is cut and resold, mainly abroad. Copper thieves face a sentence of up to three years in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros.
