BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

INEZ — After the recent arrests of five suspected copper thieves, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office has a clear message for anyone considering stealing AT&T phone lines:

“You will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Chief Deputy Sheriff Chris Kidd said. “It is a felony.”

Cable theft is once again on the rise in the county, Kidd said.

“We’ve dealt with this epidemic of stealing phone wire and cable in our county,” he said. “We’ve made several arrests, and there will be more.”

An anonymous tip led Kidd and Sheriff John Kirk to arrest two suspected copper thieves on Davella Road in February. The caller reported seeing two men cutting AT&T phone lines. Responding officers located a vehicle matching the provided description and initiated a traffic stop.

“What I immediately noticed was several hundred feet of what appeared to be AT&T phone line,” Kidd said. “It was in the back of the truck, in plain sight.”

Authorities sent photos of the cable to AT&T’s regional manager, who confirmed it belonged to the company.

According to Kidd, Josh Scott, 38, and John Allen, 38, both of Debord, had climbed utility poles and used power-reciprocating saws to cut the lines.

“After they cut the line, they rolled it up, tied it off and put it in the back of their truck,” Kidd said.

Deputies recently arrested three additional suspected copper thieves in Warfield.

“Three people were caught in the act by deputies in Warfield,” Kidd said. “They were pulling copper down the road. They were all arrested and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

The Sheriff’s Office has been coordinating with prosecutors to ensure those responsible are held accountable.

“Our citizens are tired of not having phone and internet service,” Kidd said. “They’re tired of not being able to call emergency services when they need to.”

Kidd credited the anonymous tipster for the Davella Road arrests and urged the public to remain vigilant.

“We encourage everyone: If you see anything suspicious—anyone climbing a pole who doesn’t look like they should be, or anyone around any suspicious areas who look like they’re going to cut phone line—call us at 606-298-2828 or contact Martin County Dispatch’s non-emergency line at 606-298-3211.”