WHIDBEY ISLAND — Vandalism that left nearly 1,000 people without phone service likely will add up to thousands of dollars in damage and labor costs.
Whidbey Telecom is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people who broke into at least three telephone boxes.
The boxes house the ends of buried cables. They were knocked over and the wiring inside was damaged, said Julia DeMartini, the vice president of Whidbey Telecom. The Langley-based company provides local phone and Internet service.
The damage was first discovered Thursday after a fire was reported at a box near Amble and Brainers roads, Island County Undersheriff Kelly Mauck said. The scorched box and damaged wires left about 900 customers without phone service for 12 hours, DeMartini said.
Another box was found pushed over Friday near Lone Lake Road, and a third was discovered Saturday near Goss Lake. Damage to those boxes didn’t affect service to any customers.
“We view this as an assault on our community,” Whidbey Telecom President Marion Henny said. “These are intentional malicious acts.”
Police are investigating if the vandalism was done in an attempt to steal something inside the boxes, Mauck said.
No matter what is behind the damage, the vandals are putting lives at risk, he said.
“People need their phones to report emergencies,” Mauck said.
Deputies ask anyone who may have seen any suspicious people or vehicles in the areas where the boxes were damaged to call the sheriff’s tip line at 360-321-5113, ext. 7319.
Reporter Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463 or hefley@heraldnet.com.
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