Copper thefts lead to phone outages in Giles County, putting multiple residents in jeopardy

GILES COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — An 86-year-old Giles County man and his wife of almost 63 years have been without landline communication for a month. According to the sheriff, copper thieves cutting down phone lines are to blame.

Stanley Trimble is an Army veteran who served with the 101st Airborne Division from 1963 to 1965. He also taught hydrology at the University of California, Los Angeles.

However, Trimble and his wife have spent decides living in the southern Giles County community of Bethel, where he said cell service and internet can be spotty, at best. That’s why the landline is so crucial for the father of two and grandfather of eight.

Trimble told News 2 he’s maintained his landline since 1978, but it went dead on May 28 and hasn’t come back online since then.

“Making a call in the house is a real chance… We’ve both missed a couple of medical appointments, other things. It’s just incredibly inconvenient,” he said.

The 86-year-old told News 2 that he feels the phone outage is an emergency because it puts his health and his wife’s health in danger.

According to Sheriff Joe Purvis, there have been seven copper thefts in Giles County where the suspects cut phone wires to get the metal, affecting the Trimbles and other households in the southern part of the county.

Purvis said he feels helpless knowing community members like Trimble cannot call for assistance, adding that he wishes there was something he could do for them.

“Without a landline, they don’t have any way to call an ambulance or a fire truck or any kind of help in an emergency. It’s a serious problem,” Purvis explained.

Purvis said the copper thieves are driving around in bucket trucks and cutting phone lines. News 2 obtained body camera footage from June 2, following the most recent crime.

The video shows law enforcement arriving and talking to an AT&T technician who works the area. The technician pointed out a thick cable with a clean cut, saying that hundreds of feet of that cable had been stolen.

“This is the seventh time this year that, in Giles County, our cable’s been stolen and taken, rolled up, and gone,” the technician told a deputy.

When asked what AT&T had told him, the sheriff said, “The information I have is that they’re no longer required to run residential lines to rural customers by federal law. Because of the rise in cellular, they have no intention of replacing the lines.”

Meanwhile, Trimble told News 2 he has little faith that his landline will be fixed, so he’s investigating other phone options.

The 86-year-old Giles County resident also shared a message for AT&T: “Fix it. Give us some certainty about it.”

According to AT&T, the equipment that supports its copper network is harder to source, making it difficult to repair or replace parts when cables are stolen. The company continues to upgrade customers to newer, more reliable technologies — like fiber and wireless — wherever possible.

If you notice any unmarked (non-AT&T) vehicles or individuals cutting and removing cable, you’re asked to call your local law enforcement agency, as well as AT&T Global Security at 1-888-871-2622.

If you have any information about the copper thefts in Giles County, specifically, contact the sheriff’s office at 931-363-3505.