Driven by rising demand and increasing global prices for copper, theft of critical communications infrastructure has emerged as a nationwide crisis. Missouri should take note as legislators across the country increasingly take action to protect this important equipment from criminals seeking to make a quick buck.
Missouri, in particular, has been disproportionately impacted by this theft, suffering more than 300 incidents of broadband infrastructure-related crimes across a six month period. One provider, Spectrum, experienced a 200% year-over-year increase in felony attacks related to its broadband networks.
Beyond enabling the essential daily communications for all Americans, fiber optic cables and copper undergird the essential communications infrastructure that enables digital commerce and functional public services. Law enforcement, 911 emergency services, and hospitals all rely extensively on reliable communications infrastructure to fulfill their missions and avoid interruption of vital functions.
For example, after thieves cut through and stole underground AT&T copper cables in downtown St. Louis this past September, the Clyde S. Cahill Courthouse and many downtown businesses were left without phone service for over a week.
The costs of communications infrastructure theft and vandalism are widespread. In 2025, AT&T reported nearly $2.2 million in losses due to copper theft in Missouri alone. Beyond the millions of dollars required for replacement and repair, stolen or damaged communications infrastructure creates serious societal risks.
Fiber networks and wireless cell towers, which conventionally do not contain copper, are also vandalized by criminals who indiscriminately cut lines in search of scrap material. Meanwhile, the ease of selling stolen materials to scrap metal dealers fuels the economic incentive for these crimes.
Across the U.S., more than 15,540 incidents of intentional theft or sabotage targeting communications networks were reported between June 2024 and June 2025. Missouri experienced 148 outages in the first half of 2025 alone that were linked to communications cable theft or damage, disrupting local emergency services, cell towers, and hospitals.
Fortunately, state legislatures are taking steps to protect critical communications infrastructure. Members of the American Legislative Exchange Council coalesced around common principles for states to hold criminals accountable for illegal activity.
Texas recently expanded its definition of critical infrastructure to include communications networks and equipment, created a new criminal offense for unauthorized possession of copper or brass, and imposed new transaction requirements on metal recycling entities dealing in communications-related materials.
Other states, including Virginia, Hawaii and Washington, have also introduced or are developing legislation to address some combination of enhanced criminal penalties, expanded definitions of critical infrastructure, and stricter regulations for scrap metal dealers.
Protecting state critical communications infrastructure requires a coordinated approach that addresses both the supply and demand sides of this growing criminal market. One such legislative proposal that is nearing the finish line in Missouri would existing critical infrastructure trespass statute, create a standalone offense for damage to critical infrastructure, and create a new offense for unauthorized possession of copper, brass, aluminum, fiber or telecommunications material.
Missouri should take note of how other states safeguard their communications networks, support law enforcement, and act decisively to protect citizens and businesses from any further criminal interference.
