HICKORY, N.C. (News Release) — On October 20, 2025, Deputy J. Betts responded to Hickory Highway regarding the theft of fiber optic and copper wire, which had caused a temporary service disruption in the area.

An AT&T technician reported receiving an alarm for a cell tower outage and discovered a man loading large sections of cable into the trunk of a Toyota Corolla. The technician was able to take a photo of the vehicle before it left the area.

Deputy Betts responded and located approximately 300 feet of fiber optic cable and 300 feet of copper wire, valued at around $4,500. Through further investigation, Deputy Betts identified the vehicle and determined the registered owner to be Afton McKenzie Rash, 43, of Old Fort, North Carolina.

Deputy Betts coordinated with the McDowell County S

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