Copper Thieves Cause Telecom Outages in Portola Valley

Dozens of residents lose internet, landlines, and cell service due to repeated copper wire thefts

Apr. 3, 2026 at 6:08pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a severed copper wire cable, the frayed ends and rough metallic texture creating a stark, gritty visual that conceptually represents the impact of copper theft on critical communications infrastructure.Copper wire theft disrupts vital telecom services in Portola Valley, exposing the vulnerability of aging infrastructure.San Mateo Today

Residents across Portola Valley, California have experienced widespread telecom outages for days at a time due to a string of copper wire thefts in the area. The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office has received over 10 reports of copper wire and cable thefts since February, leading to disruptions in internet, landline, and cell service for many local homes and businesses. The town is working with law enforcement and telecom providers to address the issue and catch the perpetrators.

Why it matters

The copper thefts have caused significant disruptions to critical communications infrastructure in Portola Valley, leaving many residents without reliable access to phone, internet, and emergency services. This highlights the vulnerability of aging telecom networks to vandalism and the need for stronger security measures and coordination between local authorities and service providers.

The details

Since February, the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office has received five reports of copper wire and cable thefts on Portola Road and Alpine Road, and a total of 11 across the county. The Sheriff's Office recently made an arrest in connection to at least one of the thefts in Portola Valley after allocating significant resources to the investigation. Residents have reported losing internet, landlines, and cell service for days at a time, with some experiencing outages lasting over two weeks. The problem has been exacerbated by the town's limited cell tower coverage and older homes that lack the infrastructure for reliable internet service.

  • Since February, the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office has received five reports of copper wire and cable thefts.
  • In December, AT&T Internet was out for nearly 20 days in Portola Valley.
  • On February 2, deputies responded to a theft involving about 500 feet of cables stolen near the intersection of Santa Maria Avenue and Portola Road.
  • On February 3, another incident of 200 feet of stolen wires was reported on the 4200 block of Alpine Road.
  • On February 9, about 200 feet of cables were reported taken from the 600 and 700 blocks of Portola Road.

The players

San Mateo County Sheriff's Office

The local law enforcement agency investigating the copper wire thefts and working with telecom providers to address the issue.

Gretchen Spiker

A spokesperson for the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office.

Rita Comes

A Portola Valley resident who has experienced frequent telecom outages and is calling for the town to be more proactive in addressing the problem.

Janet Davis

A Portola Valley resident who was without landline and internet service for 11 days during a recent outage.

Rob Bonta

The California Attorney General who addressed the surge in copper thefts and issued a law enforcement bulletin on the issue.

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What they’re saying

“For months, all of us have been suffering with the utilities, the internet, cellular service and home service. We as individuals are spending hours on the phone trying to solve these issues with Comcast and AT&T.”

— Rita Comes, Portola Valley resident

“The problem is that the executives at AT&T are unreachable and nobody has any information.”

— Janet Davis, Portola Valley resident

“While the value of copper remains high, we can expect it will continue to be a target of theft and vandalism, unless we step in now and do something about it.”

— Rob Bonta, California Attorney General

What’s next

The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office is using Portola Valley's Flock automated license plate readers in its investigation and has requested overtime patrol units during the early morning hours when the incidents typically occur. The town is also in contact with AT&T and Comcast to address the issues, and is asking residents to report any suspicious activities to the Sheriff's Office.

The takeaway

The copper wire thefts in Portola Valley have exposed the vulnerability of the town's aging telecom infrastructure and the need for stronger security measures, better coordination between local authorities and service providers, and more proactive communication with residents when outages occur. This issue highlights the broader challenge of protecting critical communications networks from vandalism and theft.