$10,000 is being offered by Kinetic for information leading to the arrest and conviction of copper thieves after repeated line cuts in Berryville, St. Paul, Elkins, Rudd and Drakes Creek, with the latest theft reported Tuesday.
About 5,000 feet of copper cable has been stolen from those five communities over the past month, and Kinetic said each repair can cost thousands of dollars while disrupting access to 911, police, fire and health care services.
Kinetic said copper thefts have surged over the past two years as copper prices roughly doubled in the last year, making the past six months the worst the company has seen in Northwest Arkansas.
AT&T logged more than 10,400 copper theft incidents nationwide in 2025, underscoring a broader problem that local police in places like Fayetteville and Springdale say is hitting construction sites, vacant buildings and utility areas.