Op-Ed: Missouri businesses are paying the price for copper and fiber theft

Driven by rising demand and increasing global prices for copper, theft of critical communications infrastructure has emerged as a nationwide crisis. Missouri should take note as legislators across the country increasingly take action to protect this important equipment from criminals seeking to make a quick buck.

Missouri, in particular, has been disproportionately impacted by this theft, suffering more than 300 incidents of broadband infrastructure-related crimes across a six month period. One provider, Spectrum, experienced a 200% year-over-year increase in felony attacks related to its broadband networks.

Beyond enabling the essential daily communications for all Americans, fiber optic cables and copper undergird the essential communications infrastructure that enables digital commerce and functional public services. Law enforcement, 911 emergency services, and hospitals all rely extensively on reliable communications infrastructure to fulfill their missions and avoid interruptio...