Copper caper prompts cops’ call for tips
Fredericton Police Force is investigating metal theft on north side in wee hours of Jan. 17
The Fredericton Police Force says suspects caused significant damage to telecommunications infrastructure on the city’s north side last month, and it’s turning to the public for tips.
The police force issued a news release Friday afternoon about a Jan. 17 incident involving the theft of copper wiring.
It reported the theft occurred between 1 and 4 a.m. that morning near 400 Cliffe St.
“Police believe there are at least two suspects involved, who may have been operating an ATV,” the release said, noting that the force’s canine unit was deployed and tracked their path to a dirt road in the area.
“This theft caused significant damage and widespread outages and led to an outage of our non-emergency phone lines, which caused a serious public safety concern.”
On that date, the police force announced through social media that its non-emergency phone lines were plagued with technical problems, which now appears to be the result of this reported wire theft.
Such wire thefts compromise essential services and safety in the community, the police force said, urging the public to aid in the effort to identify the suspects.
Anyone who may have noticed suspicious activity in the area or has camera footage during that timeframe, or who otherwise has relevant information, is urged to call the Fredericton Police at 506-460-2300.
Those wishing to provide information anonymously can do so through Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), downloading the secure P3 Mobile App or visiting Secure Web Tips online at www.crimenb.ca.
Tipsters can cite police file no. 26-1261.
The Fredericton Independent can be reached at ftonindependent@gmail.com.