Cable thieves left thousands in Thurnscoe without broadband for two days

Thousands of residents in Thurnscoe, South Yorkshire, were left without broadband and telephone connections for two days in a cable-theft attack, the BBC reports.

Homes and businesses lost service on Friday and Saturday (16 and 17 October); it has since been restored. The theft happened on Friday morning, when thieves stole manhole covers on Nicholas Lane in Goldthorpe and damaged the wiring beneath. South Yorkshire Police confirmed an investigation is under way.

An Openreach spokesperson said: “We’re sorry to everyone who was affected. Cable theft is a serious crime and can have a significant impact on communities.” Openreach said engineers “worked as quickly as possible to repair the extensive damage”.

Luke Wheat, the Reform UK councillor for the Dearne North Ward, said: “The impact of this mindless criminal theft is still rippling through our community.” For many elderly and vulnerable residents, broadband was “their only means of connection to the outside world”, he added, calling those responsible “a disgrace to society”. He is writing to Oliver Coppard, the Mayor of South Yorkshire, and local MPs.

Some elderly residents were left cut off, with no other way to contact loved ones.

Insp Alison Carr of South Yorkshire Police said there had been a “spike” in cable thefts across Doncaster since the start of summer, calling it a “threat to public safety”. More than £1m worth of copper cable had been recovered in the Doncaster area since the spike began.

Carcroft, Doncaster, was also reportedly hit by cable thefts last week.