Reward offered after phone and broadband cables set alight

A reward of up to £1000 has been offered after communication cables serving 500 homes and businesses in Glasgow were set alight twice over the weekend.

Lids were initially removed from two footway boxes containing broadband and phone cables in Springboig Avenue, Cranhill, at about 1am on Friday.

Flammable liquid was poured on the cables before they were set alight, meaning Openreach engineers had to work for several hours to repair the links.

But after they left at around midnight the footway boxes were again targeted in the early hours of Saturday, with the damage becoming more difficult to repair.

Bernie Auguste, director of security services for the firm, said: “These incidents have severely impacted the day-to-day lives of people across Springboig – especially during this difficult time where people are staying inside because of coronavirus and are very reliant on their telephone and broadband to communicate with friends, family and loved ones.

“We are working very closely with Police Scotland to catch those who are responsible and have deployed additional security enhancements across the area, but we also need your help.

“Please be vigilant and if you saw anything suspicious on or around the time of the incidents, report it.

“If you prefer not to speak directly to police, then please contact the charity Crimestoppers anonymously.”

The damage left 500 houses and businesses in the area without use of their phone lines, broadband and TV services.

All services had been restored by Monday afternoon.

Now the reward is on offer for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for the incident.

Angela Parker, national manager at Crimestoppers Scotland, said: “These incidents have disrupted essential broadband services and can even impact on local emergency and essential public services.

“Happening at a time when we are confined to our home shows how little these criminals care about the consequences of their actions.

“To be damaging essential communications cables during a global pandemic is especially heartless.”

If you have any information, call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.