GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — Thieves are after an unusual prize in Gaston County that could leave people cut off from emergency responders and loved ones during a storm: backup cell tower batteries.
Channel 9 uncovered a spike in backup cell tower battery thefts, and the crime can go widely unnoticed until severe weather strikes.
There were only a couple of reports last year of batteries taken from backup systems. But this year there have been 21 reports of thefts.
Most of the thefts are blamed on one suspect who police said used a reflective vest to look like an employee.
But Eyewitness News reporter Ken Lemon found that the suspect may not even need the disguise to get away with the theft.
Lemon visited several cell towers around Gastonia and found most just had a simple padlock. At one site, the barbed wire had been pushed down so that someone could climb over the fence. Lemon also said he didn’t notice any security near the towers.
Police said the cell towers are well hidden, perfect for someone with bad intentions, hoping to take the big backup batteries and get cash from recycling companies.
“These towers are placed in remote areas, because why, nobody wants a cell tower in their backyard,” Gaston County police Capt. Curtis Rosselle said.
Roselle said many of the towers have no security system.
“Somebody can be in there undetected, do their thing, move these several hundred pound batteries without being seen or found,” Rosselle said. “These batteries have one purpose -- to serve as a backup should the current, the power, coming into there fail, such as in a storm, hurricane.”
Resident Pamela Jamison said it frustrates her to think that someone is stealing batteries that could put her family’s lives in danger.
“If I lost somebody in my family because of it, I would be very upset.”
She said she uses an app to track her loved ones during emergencies and it was especially helpful when Hurricane Irma hit Florida where her family lives.
“Once the power lines went down, the only way we had to get ahold of them and all was through cell phones.”
Rosselle said the backup cell tower batteries are also critical for officers and first responders during an emergency.
“You go to any scene, you’ve been there, who is on the phone? Every officer, every detective is doing something,” Rosselle said.
Police have spoken with cell providers and said many of them have promised to make changes in security.
Officers have also spoken with recycling companies about the thefts. Since then recyclers have called police twice to report people trying to get money for the special batteries.