Organised crime gang behind theft of phone and broadband cables, police say

A series of thefts of phone and broadband network equipment is being treated as an “attack of Northern Ireland’s national infrastructure” by an organised crime gang, police have said.

The theft of cables over 18 months has disrupted the telephone and internet services of thousands of rural households, the PSNI stated.

Detectives investigating thefts from locations in Armagh and Dungannon in recent weeks carried out a search and arrest operation on Thursday.

Five separate properties were searched, with the assistance of tactical support group (TSG) officers.

Three men aged 36, 38 and 60 were arrested on suspicion of theft and criminal damage.

A PSNI spokesperson said: “The thefts targeted 20 locations between December 2022 and August 2024 and are being treated as an attack on Northern Ireland’s national infrastructure by what we believe to be an organised criminal group.

“We’ve been working closely with the Openreach security team and this has culminated in this morning’s operation.

“The cost of the cable stolen from Openreach over the past 18 months, and the damage caused in its removal, runs into six figures, and has disrupted the telephone and internet services of several thousand households, mainly in rural areas.”

Garret Kavanagh, director of Openreach in NI, said “We’re really disappointed that rural residents have borne the brunt of criminal behaviour and theft from our network.

“These attacks cause significant damage and unacceptable disruption to the lives of local people and put vulnerable people at risk.

“We continue to work closely with the PSNI and thank them for their efforts in securing this morning’s arrests.”

The PSNI spokesperson added: “Thefts of network infrastructure represent not only a loss to the company or supplier but also to communities who depend on the services provided, including access to 999 emergency lines.

“Anyone with information regarding similar types of crime in their local area can contact police at any time by calling 101, or if a theft is in progress, 999. Information can also be provided anonymously via psni.police.uk/report.”