Copper wire theft on the rise in Greene County

SPRINGFIELD -- The Greene County Sheriff's Office is alerting people to a rise in copper wire theft.

The department put out a post Friday on social media saying the increase seems to be targeting AT&T phone lines. Deputies are seeing reports of thieves are cutting them down after using ladders to reach them, or tossing ropes to pull them down.

Residents are being asked to report suspicious activity near phone or utility lines, as this kind of damage can cause major disruptions to internet and phone service. Here is what the Sheriff's Office is asking you to be on the lookout for: • Use of ladders, ropes near utility poles • Vehicles without official AT&T logos • People tampering with utility lines, particularly when it's dark