Police have arrested two men over the theft of copper cables from cell tower sites in Lyon County, Kentucky.. As reported by WKDZ, officers arrested 50-year-old Brent McKinney of Dawson Springs and 51-year-old Cole Duncan of Cadiz last week, following an investigation into the theft..
04 Nov 2025. The investigation was part of a widening effort to clamp down on infrastructure attacks against network carriers in the area, notably against AT&T, which has regularly documented its issues with copper theft across the US.. According to Lyon County Sheriff Brent White, the investigation began in late July after a series of thefts targeted AT&T infrastructure across the county..
Investigators allege that the stolen copper wire was later taken for salvage.. This led to two arrests last week, with McKinney arrested on Wednesday (September 2) and charged with first-degree criminal mischief involving the tampering of key infrastructure assets. He also faces similar charges in Hopkins County..
A day later, Duncan was arrested on a Lyon County warrant. Duncan faces the same first-degree criminal mischief charge and was lodged in the Hopkins County Detention Center.. Similar copper thefts have been reported across Kentucky, including in Caldwell, Christian, Hopkins, Trigg, and Webster counties..
Network operators such as AT&T and Verizon have previously outlined plans to offer cash rewards to anyone providing information leading to the arrest and conviction of those attacking their network infrastructure.. Not content with just two arrests, Lyon County’s Sheriff’s Office has requested further public assistance via its Facebook page to clamp down on the infrastructure attacks.. “If you observe suspicious activity near telecommunications equipment, do not approach or confront anyone,” said the post. “Note the location, vehicle description, license plate, and direction of travel when it is safe to do so, and then contact local law enforcement.
Call 9-1-1 for emergencies or crimes in progress.”. More in Carrier Networks. 17 Mar 2026.
07 Jul 2026. 18 Aug 2026. More in Security & Risk.
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