Verizon reported a more than 100 percent increase in the number of suspected incidents of sabotage that have cut off thousands of Verizon customers from critical wireline services, since April 13. The incidents include:
- In Delaware, three separate incidents occurred this week in Hockessin at fiber hub locations; fiber cables were severed in multiple locations.
- In New Jersey, there have been 17 incidents of suspected sabotage since April 13, primarily in the northern part of the state.
- In New York, the second most impacted state, 15 incidents are under investigation.
- In Pennsylvania, 10 incidents are under investigation, including suspected arson involving a fire-damaged terminal in Drexel Hill.
- In Virginia, cables have been severed, or equipment stolen, in eight separate incidents.
- In Maryland, fiber cables were ripped from a hub in Brandywine on April 22.
“These are criminal activities, affecting people’s safety and putting lives at risk. We are investigating all reports and pursuing all avenues to assist law enforcement in finding and convicting the perpetrators of these acts,” said Michael Mason, Verizon’s chief security officer.
Verizon said it normally experiences about a half dozen dangerous and reckless acts of destructive vandalism each year.
- On April 13, nearly 40,000 Verizon workers from Maine to Virginia, represented by the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), went on strike as of Wednesday morning at 6am. The parties have been unable to resolve differences since the last contract expired on August 1st, 2015.