Cell Tower Batteries Stolen In Belleville; Essex County Thefts

BELLEVILLE, NJ — In what’s becoming a familiar incident in Essex County, the theft of several high-value cellular tower batteries was reported last week, this time in Belleville.

According to the Belleville Police Department, officers spoke to a contractor on April 10 who told them that four cell tower backup batteries were stolen from an enclosure under a tower on Lavergne Street.

There were no signs of forced entry. The batteries were valued at $923; police are investigating the theft, authorities said.

The April 10 theft is the latest in a series of similar thefts in Essex County that stretch back years.

Similar industrial batteries used at cell phone towers can weigh hundreds of pounds and fetch a high price on the resale market. Thefts of the heavy batteries are surprisingly common in Essex County. Other nearby towns that have seen cell tower battery thefts include Cedar Grove, Nutley, Bloomfield, Newark and Millburn.

• See related article: Essex County Battery Heist Reported At AT&T Cell Tower
• See related article: Cell Tower Batteries Stolen In Essex County (This Time, Bloomfield)
• See related article: Essex County Cops Charge Man With Stealing Cell Tower Batteries
• See related article: More Cell Tower Batteries Stolen In Essex County
• See related article: Essex County Cell Tower Battery Theft; $19K Stolen In Nutley
• See related article: More Cell Tower Batteries Disappear In Essex County
• See related article: 28 Batteries Stolen From ATT Cellular Site In Nutley

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