LOS ANGELES, CA – Residents of Hacienda Heights are facing significant disruptions after ongoing copper wire thefts have left many without phone and internet services for months, sparking safety concerns in an area already plagued by spotty cell phone coverage.
According to the Hacienda Heights Improvement Association (HHIA), some residents have been without service for as long as seven months. The lack of reliable communication, especially landlines, has become a pressing issue for households and businesses, particularly during emergencies.
“This is not just an inconvenience; it’s a safety and security concern,” said HHIA board member Ali Wiener. She added that repaired wires are often stolen again within days, creating a frustrating cycle of outages and repairs.
The thefts have raised alarms about their impact on local businesses, which rely on internet and phone services for day-to-day operations, and on residents who depend on landlines as a lifeline due to the area’s poor cellular network.
Frontier Communications, the company whose equipment has been repeatedly targeted, has not issued a public statement regarding the thefts or the prolonged outages.
Residents are calling for stronger measures to address the thefts and ensure uninterrupted service in the community. Local authorities and stakeholders continue to explore solutions to safeguard critical infrastructure and restore connectivity.
