In response to a series of fiber cable vandalism incidents that have disrupted services for thousands of customers in Los Angeles and parts of Southern California, Verizon has announced a $25,000 reward program. The reward will be offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of individuals involved in these criminal acts, which the company says pose a direct threat to public safety and security.
According to Verizon, over the past several days, vandals cut multiple fiber cables, causing service interruptions for customers in the region. The company emphasized that such acts of network theft and vandalism endanger emergency services, healthcare, and all who rely on critical communications. "These are criminal acts, affecting people's safety and are putting lives at risk," said Vandana Venkatesh, Verizon's chief legal officer. "We are actively investigating several recent incidents and are pursuing all avenues to assist law enforcement in finding and convicting the perpetrators of these acts."
The announcement comes amid alarming industry data indicating that California is particularly vulnerable to such attacks. The state saw economic losses of $252.6 million due to outages, the highest in the nation. California and Texas account for more than half of all reported incidents, with California experiencing 6,297 attacks in 2025, and Los Angeles alone recording 1,131 incidents. Nationwide, the industry deals with thousands of cable vandalism incidents each year, underscoring the scale of the problem.
Joe Russo, EVP & President of Global Networks and Technology at Verizon, stressed the importance of protecting infrastructure. "Across the country, people rely on us for critical connectivity 24 hours a day, 7 days a week," he said. "Our network and security teams are working with law enforcement at all levels in tracking down the perpetrators and bringing these egregious acts to an end. This must stop because our communities should not be put at risk by thieves who vandalize or steal cables."
The company is offering rewards of $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of individuals who intentionally damage Verizon equipment. Anyone witnessing vandalism is urged to call 911 and then contact Verizon's Security department at 1-800-997-3287. This initiative is part of Verizon's broader commitment to safeguarding America's infrastructure and ensuring reliable connectivity for its customers.
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) is a global leader in communications, serving millions of customers worldwide and nearly all of the Fortune 500. The company generated revenues of $138.2 billion in 2025. For more information, visit verizon.com or find a retail location at verizon.com/stores.
