Crimestoppers, Openreach and EMR join forces to combat metal theft

The appeal follows a series of incidents that have caused widespread disruption and cost the UK public upwards of £4.3 billion over the past decade. With copper prices now at an all‑time high – and forecast to rise even further this year – the Openreach network has become an increasingly attractive target for criminals looking for a quick profit.

Recent incidents include the following: 

*January 2026 (Moulton Chapel, Lincolnshire): 2,600 premises hit by a major cable theft, with residents left unable to contact hospitals to check appointments and one business owner describing it as “going back to The Dark Ages”

*May 2026 (Birmingham): three men jailed after stealing cables which cut off phone and broadband services for circa 5,000 people

*May 2026 (Wateringbury, Kent): the police service was called by a member of the public when three vehicles were used to remove cables from fields, impacting landlines for vulnerable customers in the local village (repairs are ongoing)

Paying the price

“It’s really disappointing that communities across the UK are paying the price for this criminal behaviour,” said Andy Shepherd, director of resilience and integrity at Openreach. Cable theft causes serious damage, unacceptable disruption to communities and can put vulnerable people at risk.”

Shepherd added: “We’re working closely with partners and using proactive security measures to reduce the impact of this criminal activity, but we also need the public’s help. If you see anything suspicious, please call 101 or contact Crimestoppers completely anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

Bruce Miller, commercial director at EMR, observed: “Copper is now recognised as a critical material, with demand continuing to grow as industries invest in new networks, infrastructure and low-carbon technologies. That makes responsible recycling more important than ever.”

Miller continued: “At EMR, we play a vital role in recovering and recycling the materials needed for the future, while helping to ensure they remain in legitimate circulation. Metal theft causes significant harm, disrupting communities, damaging essential infrastructure and putting public safety at risk.”

Further, Miller said: “As one of the UK’s largest metal recyclers, we work closely with law enforcement and partners including Openreach and Crimestoppers to prevent stolen material from entering the supply chain. By working together, we can help to protect critical infrastructure, support local communities and ensure valuable resources are recycled responsibly.”As part of the new initiative, EMR has strengthened its commitment to tackling metal theft by installing signage across all UK sites, reinforcing its policy to refuse any material suspected of being stolen.

Through responsible recycling practices and transparent material traceability, EMR continues to support higher standards across the sector, while also helping to keep critical materials in the right hands.

Not a victimless crime 

Openreach builds and maintains the UK’s largest telecoms network and, since April 2024, more than 100,000 individuals across the UK have lost the use of their landline and/or broadband due to copper theft, with 153 km of cable stolen in that time spanning almost the same distance as from London to Bristol.

The impact is far-reaching for consumers and businesses: from home working and online shopping to contacting vulnerable relatives, GP surgeries, hospitals and schools and running smart lighting and heating systems.

Repairing and replacing damaged cables is often complex and time-consuming, with engineers working around the clock – alongside local authorities and partners – to restore services as quickly as possible.

Since April 2024, Openreach estimates that 1.2 million working hours have been diverted towards repairing theft-related damage. This is valuable time that could otherwise have been spent upgrading more homes and businesses to Full Fibre. Theft realises millions of pounds’ worth of repair work each year, causing disruption and leading to anxiety for local communities, while also damaging the UK’s economy.

Tackling the problem

Since April 2025, Openreach’s specialist security team has instigated 90 arrests, but theft volumes are expected to increase during the summer months. Targeted cables are often pulled out of the ground and laid out in fields to be cut up and transported. Drier ground makes this easier to do, reducing the risk of criminals’ vehicles from being stuck in saturated fields. A knock-on impact is often damaged or destroyed crops, meaning that farmers face harm to their livelihoods as well as their connectivity.

In order to deter criminals and reduce disruption, Openreach continues to implement measures including a mixture of forensic marking technology such as SelectaDNA, rapid response security measures and network alarms and also close collaboration with the police service, the Crimestoppers charity and partners including EMR.