Emergency phone lines for three cities in West Contra Costa County have been rerouted since Saturday following an attempted copper cable theft — the second such incident this month, police said.
Calls to 911 for Pinole, Hercules, and San Pablo are currently being answered by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office and then transferred to Pinole’s communications center, according to a press release issued by the Pinole authorities on Tuesday. The text-to-911 line remains functional.
The incident was reported to the Pinole communications center around 7:20 p.m. on Saturday when it was discovered that both the 911 and business lines were down, as stated in the press release. In response, the department immediately rerouted emergency calls to the communications center for the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office and dispatched officers to the location where a copper cable theft had occurred on June 4, causing a similar disruption in calls.
Upon arrival, three male suspects were observed fleeing into a nearby field, heading towards a residential area. With the assistance of Hercules police, officers established a perimeter around the field. Additional support was requested from a Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Department helicopter and canine unit. Two of the suspects were successfully apprehended, while the third remains at large.
Authorities discovered tools for cutting copper cable at the scene and on one of the suspects, leading to their arrest. The two individuals were subsequently booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on charges of felony vandalism, damaging telephone lines, and one of them was also suspected of a probation violation.
The ongoing rerouting of emergency calls aims to ensure that residents in Pinole, Hercules, and San Pablo can still access emergency services while the investigation into the copper cable theft and the search for the remaining suspect continue.
1 Response
This is absolutely outrageous! How can someone be so heartless and selfish to steal copper cables, putting the lives of countless people at risk? Emergency phone lines are crucial for the safety and well-being of the community, and these despicable thieves are disrupting that vital lifeline.
It is infuriating to think that this is the second incident of copper cable theft in just one month. Clearly, the authorities need to take stronger measures to prevent these crimes from happening again. These thieves must be held accountable for