Telcos want more severe penalties for copper wire theft

By Ahmad Hathout Representatives from the country’s largest telcos urged Senate members to consider legislation that would make copper theft a serious crime to deter what they say is becoming an increasing problem as the value of the element rises. Currently, the criminal code penalizes copper theft as “theft under $5,000,” which the telecoms say does not align with the significance of the impact of that crime and doesn’t match what other jurisdictions have been doing – which is to charge the matter more severely. Over the first two days of hearings on copper theft on Tuesday and Wednesday, members...