Fremont police say a crew of four local residents has been arrested after thieves sliced through fiber optic and coaxial cables around the city, knocking out internet, phone, television and home security service for an estimated 10,000 customers and leaving about $50,000 in damage behind.
Detectives say the trouble started on May 9 in the 2100 block of Peralta Boulevard, where communication lines were cut. According to police, the same suspects returned days later and struck the area again, hauling away more cable while thousands of residents and businesses remained offline.
How Detectives Built the Case
In a press release from the Fremont Police Department, investigators say they pulled surveillance footage showing individuals and vehicles matching the suspects’ descriptions near the initial crime scene, then connected it to similar incidents reported in other parts of Fremont.
Officers later served a search warrant on one suspect vehicle and one suspect’s home, where they say they found tools and other evidence tied to the string of crimes. According to the department, the series allegedly includes the May 9 cable cut, a May 13 return that netted about $5,000 in stolen cable, and similar conduct documented on May 20.
Arrests and Charges
Fremont officials identified the four arrested residents as David Elmore, Nicole Elmore, Eric Kosskela and Marc Rice. The Alameda County District Attorney's Office has charged them with damaging or tampering with telephone or electrical lines (PC 591), felony vandalism (PC 594) and grand theft (PC 487), along with a PC 12022.6(a)(2) enhancement tied to damages greater than $200,000, according to the Fremont Police Department’s announcement posted on Facebook. The case is listed as case number 260512403.
Why It Matters Locally
When communication lines are sliced, the fallout can spread fast. Internet, phone and security systems can all go dark at once, leaving homes, businesses and public services scrambling until repairs are finished.
Fremont is not the only Bay Area community dealing with this problem. A similar cable theft last November at BART’s Hayward yard forced service suspensions and left the transit agency with a repair tab of more than $1 million. In that case, investigators have struggled to identify suspects and recover stolen spools of wiring, highlighting how tricky these cases can be once the metal is stripped and sold.
How to Report Tips
The Fremont Police Department is asking anyone who saw the incidents or who may have information to contact the Investigations Unit at (510) 790-6900, to text "Tip FremontPD" to 888-777, or to submit an anonymous tip through the department’s tip page. Media inquiries may be sent to [email protected], according to the department.
Legal Process
Police say they have presented the investigation to the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office and that charges have been filed. Those charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in court.
