Thieves are targeting the world's copper. This phone company is fighting back

AT&T workers in Hayward, California, describe a growing problem of copper theft that has surged as copper prices have roughly doubled in the past year. Thieves strip copper cable from telephone poles and other infrastructure, then burn the sheath to recover the bare copper, leaving behind burn pits and damaged assets. A truck-sized pile of stolen copper cable was recovered by a recycler, illustrating the scale of the theft. AT&T officials say the losses can run into tens of thousands of dollars in repairs, and NPR joined a ride-along to document the crime near a railroad crossing where alarms had previously sounded. Police and security teams are increasing measures to deter thieves as demand for copper remains high for data centers and infrastructure development.