Verizon Worker Reports 'Sliced Fiber Optic Line' In Verona, NJ

Verona, NJ – Has sabotage come to Essex County?

According to the Verona Police Department, an officer took a report of criminal mischief from a Verizon employee involving a sliced fiber optic line around 3 p.m. on May 9.

“A Verizon employee reported that a fiber optic line had been cut [on Lakeside Avenue],” Verona police stated in a news release.

The value of the damage was unknown, police stated.

The Verona Police Department’s report of criminal mischief comes in the midst of a nearly 40,000 worker-strong strike against Verizon, launched on April 13.

• Catch up on the latest news updates involving the Verizon strike of 2016 here.

Earlier this month, the communications giant released a statement which alleged that it has been the victim of 24 recent “suspected incidents of sabotage” in five states.

According to Verizon representatives, the alleged acts of industrial sabotage include:

• Sliced fiber optic cabling at a network facility box in New Jersey that cut services to customers and local emergency personnel, including police and fire departments
• Sabotage in Massachusetts in which phone services were cut off for customers for 16 hours
• Cut fiber optic and copper cables in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York that disabled voice communications and internet connectivity

According to a company news release, Verizon is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of individuals who intentionally damage its cables or facilities.

Witnesses to “sabotage of Verizon property” should call 9-1-1 and then contact the Verizon Security Control Center at 1-800-997-3287, company spokespeople stated.

• See related article: Verizon Strike 2016 Update: Alleged Industrial Sabotage, Service Issues

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File photo by Jeremy Noble via Flickr Commons