Seven people were arrested last week in connection with a copper wire theft in Perry County that caused widespread AT&T service outages and prompted a multi-day investigation by local authorities.

According to Pine Belt News, approximately 560 feet of copper wire, valued at around $3,000, was stolen from AT&T telephone poles late Sunday night, June 1. The theft led to severe service disruptions across the area. Authorities say additional copper was also taken from several other locations that same night.

The outage drew the attention of AT&T crews, who discovered the missing wire during follow-up inspections the following Wednesday. Their report launched a criminal investigation by the Perry County Sheriff’s Department.

The following day, deputies located two suspects in possession of several tubs filled with burnt copper wire, a telltale sign of metal theft. That discovery led to the arrest of multiple individuals. A seventh suspect was taken into custody Friday after allegedly attempting to sell stolen wire at a local scrap yard.

The individuals arrested were identified as Kimberly Holifield, Troy Pool, Brittany Davis, Timothy Rhymes, Kevin Langley, William Phillip, and Katlyn Bryce.

The theft comes amid soaring copper prices, which have recently surpassed $11,500 per metric ton — an all-time high. The lucrative resale value has fueled a rise in copper-related crimes nationwide.

“Individually, these isolated crimes cause big enough headaches of their own,” the FBI said in a statement. “Taken together, however, they present a fairly significant problem for our country — a threat to public safety and to U.S. critical infrastructure.”

Over the past 18 months, both individuals and organized groups have been charged in connection with copper thefts targeting utility companies, construction sites, and public infrastructure.