According to Bell Aliant, thieves have cut and stolen their lines directly from power poles in the dead of night more than 50 times since October.

"It's brazen," said Dana Lohnes, Bell Aliant's director of field operations for Atlantic Canada. "A lot of the sites that they are vandalizing are in very, very public areas, like right on the side of main roads."

Lohnes said his company has video footage of thieves using metal grinders they've attached to telescopic poles in order to cut lines from the ground without ever having to climb a pole. Once the lines are cut, he said thieves quickly separate the copper ones from the others and leave.

Some thieves have stolen more than 200 metres of copper lines at once.

He said since Oct. 8, these thefts have all happened between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m. almost every night. Lohnes said he's responsible for the network in all of Atlantic Canada, but these thefts on this scale are only happening in the Fredericton area. 

Dana Lohnes, Bell Aliant's director of field operations for Atlantic Canada, said copper thieves have been cutting internet cables in Fredericton almost every night since October. (Submitted by Bell Aliant)

On Wednesday night, he said thieves cut lines in Hanwell and in Lincoln. On Monday night, they stole wire from Fredericton's north side on the corner of Sunset Drive and Route 105. Police say that single outage saw thieves slash wires in several spots that affected internet, TV, and phone lines for more than 800 customers.

"It was noted that wires had been cut from multiple poles in the area which affected Fibre Op customers internet and phone line services in the area as well as services in the Douglas, Currie Mountain and Carlisle Rd. Area," wrote Fredericton police spokesperson Sonya Gilks in an email.

 A Bell Aliant worker repairs fibre-op lines that were cut by thieves on Fredericton's north side earlier this week. (Shane Fowler/CBC)

The fibre-optic cable that carries Bell Aliant's internet and TV services is the collateral damage in these thefts. The high-speed internet cables are intertwined with Bell's "legacy" network — copper cables that are mostly responsible for carrying landline services.

When thieves cut one wire, though, they cut them all, but they only leave with the copper lines. Bell Aliant said they're trying to replace those stolen copper cables with smaller cables that have less copper and aren't as valuable.

"You might think that they would try to be a little more discreet, but it's been pretty brazen," said Lohnes.

He stopped short of calling it organized. He said that's a classification he'll leave to the police. But he did say Bell Aliant has started hiring their own security companies "to literally patrol the streets of these impacted areas nightly." 

Bell Aliant has found itself needing to repair lines in Fredericton nearly every night due to thieves cutting and stealing communications cables directly from poles. (Shane Fowler/CBC)

Each night, immediately after an outage is detected, Lohnes said Bell Aliant is dispatching their security teams and calling police. 

"We've rolled up on them a couple of times, which has sent them scurrying into the woods, that type of thing," said Lohnes. 

He said in the last few weeks, five arrests have been made, but he said it hasn't decreased the number of times thieves have struck. 

"Which is surprising," said Lohnes. "You would think people might start to lay low after arrests, but unfortunately that's not been the case." 

Four people have been arrested after a string of copper-wire thefts in Fredericton and Oromocto, RCMP said Monday.

Since September, the thefts in the Fredericton and Oromocto areas have amounted to more than $1.4 million in losses suffered by households, businesses and government departments, the RCMP said in a news release.

The repeated thefts have left residents without some TV, internet and phone services for varying periods of time. Bell Aliant said the system had suffered four significant outages since September and 40 instances of vandalism.

One of the more recent instances left 850 Oromocto and Lincoln residents without Bell services after copper wire was stolen on Nov. 29. 

Police seize copper wire

RCMP said they arrested the first of four individuals, a 33-year-old man, on Nov. 23 during their investigation into copper-wire thefts, but he was taken into custody on "unrelated matters."

Police searched a residence in Geary that same day and seized "a significant quantity of copper wire and related materials."

On Nov. 29, police arrested two men and a woman, all in their 30s, at the scene after they were found loading copper wire into a vehicle, said the release. 

The three were released from custody and will appear in Fredericton provincial court at a later date. The specific charges against them were not revealed.

The next day, police searched a Haneytown residence, where they seized "a significant quantity of copper wire, as well as other telecommunication lines," RCMP said.

Effect on community

The investigation into the thefts continues.

"These copper wire thefts have had significant impacts on our community, and our members have worked diligently to gather the evidence needed to make these arrests," said Cpl. Dan Sharpe of the West District RCMP.

"We would also like to encourage anyone who is purchasing salvaged parts or metals to ensure the product has been legally acquired."

New amendments were introduced in New Brunswick on Nov. 1 to the Salvage Dealers Licensing Act to make it harder to sell stolen catalytic converters and other commonly stolen goods such as plumber's lead, brass valves, copper, lead flashing and copper wire.

The RCMP release said people who see suspicious activity near power poles or electrical substations should contact local police.

"Once a catalytic converter is stolen, it's often taken to a salvage dealer in the province and sold for a couple hundred dollars. But it can cost thousands of dollars for the victims to replace these devices on their vehicles," said Austin, during a news conference at St. Croix Auto in Fredericton. 

Austin said he will be introducing amendments to the Salvage Dealers Licensing Act on Tuesday which will make it harder to sell stolen catalytic converters and other commonly stolen goods like plumber's lead, brass valves, copper, lead flashing and copper wire. 

The amendments would double the fines for salvage dealers who don't comply, said Austin. One of the more significant amendments being introduced, he said, is one prohibiting salvage dealers from paying cash for catalytic converters or other high-theft items. 

Instead, they'll need to pay using cheque, e-transfer or another traceable method, said Austin.

"We know that in many of these cases, those who are stealing these items, they're doing it for quick and easy cash," he said. "By creating a paper trail, we aim to deter criminals from committing these crimes."

Andy LeClair, the RCMP superintendent for the west district of New Brunswick, said car dealerships are often a target for catalytic converter theft. (Ed Hunter/CBC)

Austin said other proposed amendments would add catalytic converters and vehicle batteries to the list of high-theft items that require salvage dealers to record date of purchase, price paid, and the name and address of the person who sold the item. 

Salvage dealers will also be required to record a government-issued identification document for high-theft items along with registration information of the vehicle from which the catalytic converter was removed.

LeClair said catalytic converter thefts have increased across the country in the last few years, noting that in New Brunswick, catalytic converter theft is higher in the Moncton area. (David Mercer/CBC)

"We are focused on making the lives of criminals harder," said Austin. "And these amendments will do just that."

Andy LeClair, the RCMP superintendent for the west district of New Brunswick, said to reporters that the new amendments will put the province in a better position to close down the market for stolen goods. He said it's been done successfully in other provinces.

LeClair said catalytic converter thefts have increased across the country in the last few years, noting that in New Brunswick, catalytic converter theft is higher in the Moncton area.

He said car dealerships are often a target. 

Jonathan Brawn, managing partner and general manager at St. Croix Auto, said in the last six to eight months, they've had about 12 catalytic converters stolen from their dealership. He said it's a significant issue with other dealerships, too. 

Jonathan Brawn, managing partner and general manager at St. Croix Auto, said in the last six to eight months, they’ve lost approximately 12 catalytic converters to thieves. (Ed Hunter/CBC)

Brawn said they have cameras and have paid people to watch the dealerships in the evening due to the thefts. 

Austin said the problem likely won't be completely eliminated and Brawn agreed.

"But if we can go from 10 problems to two problems, that's much more manageable," said Brawn. "No system or legislation will cure all sins or make it perfect. But I do think this is going to greatly reduce the impact, which is a step in the right direction."