Verizon announced on Tuesday, August 11, that they are offering a reward of $25,000 to gather information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect responsible for cutting fiber optic cables last weekend, causing a widespread internet outage in Southern California.
According to city news sources, Verizon stated that the incident involved intentional cutting of multiple fiber optic cables, affecting wireless communication and home internet services for thousands of customers on August 9. The services were restored later that evening.
Verizon, in announcing the reward, stated, “These deliberate actions directly threaten public safety and emergency response efforts.”
The company mentioned that they are collaborating with law enforcement agencies to identify the individuals involved in the case and urged anyone witnessing suspicious activities near telecommunication equipment to immediately dial 911 and notify the company’s security department.
Citing data from the National Cable Telecommunications Association (NCTA), Verizon informed that in 2025, there were 6,297 incidents of network sabotage in California, estimated to result in $252.6 million in economic losses, with Los Angeles accounting for 1,131 incidents.
Verizon noted that they have joined industry-led initiatives to combat network sabotage, such as the STRIKE initiative. This alliance, composed of telecommunications service providers, focuses on intelligence sharing and coordinated actions to address issues like copper theft and fiber optic cable cutting.
Furthermore, Verizon highlighted their support for recent legislation passed in California that requires scrap metal dealers and recyclers to maintain more detailed records of metal purchases to curb theft targeting communication infrastructure.
Individuals with any information regarding suspicious activities involving Verizon facilities can contact the company’s security department at 800-997-3287 after informing local law enforcement agencies.