Story perspectives

Surge in Copper Thefts Sparks Service Outages in Oregon

8/22/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Copper thefts in Oregon have increased significantly, with CenturyLink reporting over 140 incidents this year, up from 79 last year.
Washington has the highest number of thefts, exceeding 370.
Thieves are targeting cables, leading to service outages that may affect public safety.
CenturyLink is transitioning to less-profitable materials and implementing GPS trackers to deter theft.
Local homeless individuals scavenging for metal complicate theft prevention efforts.

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Story summary

Copper thefts in Oregon have increased significantly, with CenturyLink reporting over 140 incidents this year, up from 79 last year.
Washington has the highest number of thefts, exceeding 370.
Thieves are targeting cables, leading to service outages that may affect public safety.
CenturyLink is transitioning to less-profitable materials and implementing GPS trackers to deter theft.
Local homeless individuals scavenging for metal complicate theft prevention efforts.