It's not as big a problem in Prince George as it is in the Lower Mainland, but if you see someone at the top of a telephone pole in the middle of the night trying to steal cable call Crime Stoppers - there still could be a big reward in it for you.
Telus has contributed towards rewards of up to $2,000 for information that leads to a conviction for the crime, and it applies to this area as much as it does to Greater Vancouver, said company spokesman Shawn Hall.
Even though most thefts of that type generate very little payoff for the criminals, they often create a such a big headache for Telus that a $2,000 reward is money well spent if it helps prevent further trouble of the kind.
"When someone steals Telus cable, they're knocking out our customers' access to 911, they're taking small businesses out of service for the day, because they can't access the Interac and credit card machines," Hall said.
"This is critical telecommunications infrastructure that our customers rely on and they're really putting our customers' lives at risk."
What's more, Hall said it typically costs Telus $50,000 to restore service while a thief who has made off with a backpack full of cable might get $20 for his effort. There are sometimes larger thefts in which a group of thieves will set out to steal of hundreds of metres of cable.
"We've heard reports and actually have had arrests where they've tried to disguise themselves as Telus personnel, using white vans or trucks, putting on high-visibility vests and white hardhats," Hall said, and added they might get a few hundred dollars for the cable.
"It's more effort than it's worth," Hall suggested to anyone thinking of pulling off such a heist.
Hall noted that Telus has replaced much of its copper wire cable with fibre optic, which is made out of plastic. Although fibre optic delivers faster, higher-quality service, it is worthless as far as scrap dealers are concerned.
In late July, the provincial government's Metal Dealers and Recyclers Act came into effect, which requires those who want to sell metals to a scrap dealer to present valid identification. The dealer, in turn, will share purchase details with their local police when asked.
Prince George RCMP Cpl. Craig Douglass said area dealers have been complying even before the legislation came in to effect.
Dealers who fail to register with the provincial government and fulfill record-keeping and sharing requirements risk fines of up to $100,000.
Anyone with information can anonymously contact Crime Stoppers at 1(800)222-TIPS (8477), online at www.pgcrimestoppers.bc.ca, or Text-A-Tip to CRIMES using keyword "pgtips".
