Jeffersonville police say officers have recently responded to several reports of stolen telephone wiring and thefts from cell-tower sites across the city, and now AT&T is dangling a reward of up to $5,000 to help crack the case. Investigators haven't said exactly where the thefts happened, but they're leaning on residents to help identify who's responsible before more equipment disappears.
According to WHAS11, the Jeffersonville Police Department is coordinating directly with AT&T to identify the people involved in stealing telecommunications wire and equipment. The outlet reports that officers have recently responded to several reports involving stolen telephone wiring and thefts from cell-tower sites, though the originating post did not say where specifically the thefts took place.
AT&T Puts Up Reward Money, Opens a Tip Line
AT&T has established its own tip line specifically for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever is responsible for damaging, destroying, or stealing the wiring, per the same report. The company says a reward of up to $5,000 may be available for tips that help close the case. Anyone with information is asked to call the Jeffersonville Police Tip Line at 812-218-TIPS or the AT&T Tip Line at 800-807-4205.
Jeffersonville police warned that this isn't just a property crime with no victims. The department said damaging or stealing communications infrastructure can disrupt essential services, including residents' ability to contact emergency responders — a risk that's shown up in similar cases elsewhere. Officers are urging anyone who spots suspicious activity near telecom equipment to avoid approaching or confronting the person directly, and instead note the location, a vehicle description, license plate, and direction of travel when it's safe to do so. For emergencies or crimes in progress, residents should still call 911.
A Problem Stretching Well Beyond Jeffersonville
Jeffersonville isn't alone in grappling with this. Just across the river, copper wire theft has left long stretches of Louisville interstates without lighting for years, according to WDRB, which notes that records show inquiries about the outages date back to at least March 2024. Kentucky transportation officials have since added cameras at key interchanges to help catch the people responsible.
Similar investigations have popped up across the region in recent months. In Frankfort, Kentucky, police coordinated with AT&T after reports of stolen telephone wiring and cell-tower thefts, and the company offered rewards of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest, according to Fox 56. In western Kentucky, the Lyon County Sheriff's Office worked with AT&T on thefts reported across Caldwell, Christian, Hopkins, Lyon, Trigg and Webster counties, with a reward of up to $10,000 on the table, as reported by WPSD Local 6.
Indiana has already seen cases end in charges. Three people were charged after allegedly stealing roughly 1,200 feet of AT&T copper telecommunications cable along North Old State Road 37 in Monroe County in early June, according to Fox 59, which reported the damage caused a significant interruption to service in northern Monroe County and the Dolan area.
A Nationwide Surge in Copper Theft
The scope of the problem is bigger than any one city. About 18,000 copper-theft incidents were reported nationwide in 2025, disrupting service for nearly 12 million customers, according to WISH-TV, which also notes that rival provider Spectrum offers rewards of up to $25,000 for information about copper theft. AT&T has reported similar spikes elsewhere, telling AT&T Connects that California saw more than 2,200 copper theft incidents in 2024, up from just 71 in 2021, and that it has offered rewards of up to $20,000 in some of those cases.
For now, the Jeffersonville investigation remains open, with no suspects, arrests or charges disclosed. Police and AT&T are counting on tips from the public to move the case forward, and both tip lines remain the fastest way for residents with information to come forward.
