KENTWOOD - A series of copper thefts has law enforcement on high alert, with the Tangipahoa Sheriff's Office arresting five people since the start of the month.

In the town of Kentwood, AT&T crews stayed parked on the sides of Highway 51, a remnant from Saturday's internet outage.

“It’s about 880 feet of line fiber and copper that was taken off the pole, it’s a pretty big undertaking for someone to do that,” Kentwood Police Chief Michael Kazerooni said.

Town officials said the theft impacted hundreds of households. Internet services were restored to the town on Monday.

“AT&T is in the process of transferring us from copper to fiber, we already have some fiber. But we’re in the process of transferring over, which I think is better,” Kentwood Mayor Irma Gordon said.

While Kentwood's internet saw restoration, that is not the case in part of Hammond, where one neighborhood off Highway 190 is still facing internet outages which the residents attribute to cut copper internet lines, visible on utility poles.

JC Watts has lived off North Coburn Road for years. He said multiple attacks on the copper infrastructure has put both his and his wife's remote work jobs at risk.

“This is eight days straight without internet,” Watts said.

He told WBRZ he put his home on Starlink, a satellite internet option, because he doesn't believe AT&T will put the copper lines back up.

“It’s 2026 and we’re without internet, that’s a hard pill to swallow,” he said.

Tangipahoa Sheriff Gerald Sticker said copper theft is a widespread issue. He said his office is working with other parish departments to track down and connect copper thefts, including the incident off North Coburn.

“They go to work, they cut down a length and move on to another area,” Sticker said. “They’re stealing some in one parish and county and driving across state lines and offloading the product."

A spokesperson for AT&T acknowledged the outage off North Coburn and said the company is working to restore services, writing in a statement:

"We’re working to restore home phone and internet service to a small number of customers affected by recent copper thefts in the North Coburn area of Hammond. Theft and vandalism of critical communications infrastructure are serious matters that disrupt essential services for our customers, public safety and the community at large. We understand how essential these services are and appreciate the patience of our customers."

AT&T asks that the public report to law enforcement any unmarked vehicles or individuals cutting and removing internet cables.