The Impacts of Thefts & Vandalism of Critical Infrastructure

As incidents of theft and vandalism have become increasingly common, so have the unnecessary service disruptions that threaten and harm American citizens, consumers, and businesses. The resulting damage and resources necessary to repair the affected networks harmed by criminal conduct imposes millions of dollars of direct and indirect costs and risks on communications network providers, consumers, and the economy.

Impacts to Other Critical Infrastructure

Communications networks are not the only critical infrastructure sectors facing significant threats from theft and vandalism.

Energy Infrastructure
  • Incidents of vandalism and theft targeting electrical substations and distribution systems are also increasing. These acts can disrupt power supply, leading to outages and highlighting the vulnerability of the energy grid.
  • In April 2023, the North American Electric Reliability Corp. filed a report at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission noting that physical security incidents resulting in a measurable grid outage as of the end of 2022 had increased 71% since 2021 and 20% since 2020. 
Transportation Systems
  • Vandalism and theft can damage transportation infrastructure, such as the communications systems that support our railways, bridges, airports, ports, and highways, as well as electric vehicle charging stations, which can cause delays and safety hazards. 
Public Utilities
  • Water and sewage systems, streetlights, traffic signals, and other public infrastructure are also at risk. 
  • Vandalism can lead to contamination or service interruptions, affecting public health and safety.
Following the Thieves & Vandals:

What does it take to restore connectivity after networks are damaged?

Increasingly, critical communications networks are targeted by thieves and vandals, but what does it take to restore service after they’ve been interrupted? Spectrum News met with the team responsible for repairing damaged lines to learn what it takes to restore service as quickly as possible.

Public Safety Risks

The disabling of critical communications networks due to vandalism and theft has a significant impact on essential public services like emergency response, health care, energy grids, and public transportation, and can lead to broader societal costs and potential risks to public safety. A coordinated attack on a network can also have cascading effects, affecting law enforcement activity and jeopardizing local emergency systems.

  • Disruption of 911 systems and law enforcement communications can delay emergency response times, especially in rural or sprawled communities.
  • Health care services heavily depend on broadband networks for patient care, access to medical records, medical devices, and telemedicine services.
  • Other critical services rely on electrical or other wiring that may be subject to theft or vandalism.
    • Example: In April 2008, five tornado warning sirens in Jackson, Mississippi, did not sound because thieves had stripped the sirens of copper, an essential component to the equipment’s ability to deliver the sirens.

Simply put, this type of theft has become a public safety issue for our nation.

Negative Economic Impacts

Communications outages resulting from theft and vandalism have downstream effects that are equally problematic, costing businesses that rely upon reliable communications networks millions of dollars in economic damages. These events create delays in business operations that lead to lost productivity and revenue. Companies that rely on broadband and phone services, for instance, may face delays in transactions, customer service issues, and operational inefficiencies.

The cost of repairing and replacing stolen or damaged private communications infrastructure can be substantial. This includes not only the physical materials but also the labor and time required to restore services. While some incidents may lead to communications infrastructure damages of perhaps only $5,000 to $10,000, the biggest risk is that any single incident can lead to a disruption of emergency 911, law enforcement or other critical communications services, where the losses may be measured in hundreds of thousands of dollars – or even the loss of life.

Repairing damaged public utilities also results in millions of dollars in costs, with the expenses passed onto local jurisdictions, taxpayers or utility ratepayers. Unlike public utilities, however, communications providers that operate in a competitive marketplace cannot recover their costs from the regulated rate base. Instead, they must bear the costs associated with the restoration and repair of damage to their communications infrastructure. And in a competitive market, such costs may ultimately be borne by consumers. 

To prevent future incidents, service providers may also need to invest in enhanced security measures, such as surveillance systems, security personnel, and advanced technology to protect their infrastructure, further increasing the costs of operating their networks and driving up costs for consumers.