Four villages left without phone lines
The copper cable was stolen from Yattendon last week
MORE than 200 homes in West Berkshire villages have been left without a phone line after thieves stole more than 600 meters of cable.
The copper cable was stolen from the Everington Lane area of Yattendon some time on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Phone lines have been affected in Hermitage, Hampstead Norreys, Frilsham and Yattendon, causing homes to be without the internet and shops without the ability to take card payments.
BT informed Thames Valley Police of the theft at about 4pm on Wednesday.
Earlier that day, police also received a call from a landowner near Yattendon Road who said they had found some cable in one of their fields.
Officers attended the scene and investigations are ongoing.
Spokesperson for BT, Paul Hayward, said: “We have suffered theft of underground cabling which has been affecting services in the area.
“Engineers have been on site working as quickly as possible and worked over the weekend to bring in replacement cabling and then reconnecting those affected onto the new cable.
“We have had some delays with blockages in the ducting for the cabling to go in. We have around 235 reported faults associated with this incident.
“We would appeal to local residents to be vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour in or around street cabinets or manhole covers immediately. Network security is of paramount importance to us and we are constantly reviewing our processes to make sure our infrastructure protection is robust.”
To combat cable theft, BT's security unit has established a nationwide intelligence-led task force, which has resulted in more than 400 people being arrested across the UK for theft.
The phone company has also joined forces with Crimestoppers and are offering up to £1000 reward for information leading to a conviction.
If you have any information about the incident call police on 0845 8 505 505 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Alternatively, visit the Crimestoppers website by clicking the link below.
