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We\u2019ve heard of thieves stealing<\/a> the copper wiring from telephone and cable networks before. But according to AT&T, the threat has become so severe that the company logged over 10,000 cases of copper theft last year.<\/p>\n AT&T\u2019s security investigator, Rahdeese Alcutt, recently sounded the alarm about the problem, which can disrupt the carrier\u2019s telecommunication networks, especially its old-school landlines. \u201cAs a company, AT&T experienced more than 10,400 copper theft incidents, with a weekly average of 200 incidents reported nationwide at the end of 2025. Losses for 2025 exceeded $82 million,\u201d he wrote in a blog post<\/a>.<\/p>\n The problem is particularly bad in California, where AT&T has been required<\/a> to maintain its traditional copper-based landlines to ensure residents living in rural and remote areas remain connected. \u201cIn California alone, we experienced more than 7,300 copper theft incidents in 2025, with losses exceeding $54 million,\u201d Alcutt said.\u00a0<\/p>\n