Sheriff spikes reward for cable line cutters

NORTHEAST HARRIS COUNTY – People that were deliberately cutting cable television lines are subject to being turned into law enforcement by those that know what they are up to, thanks to incentives now totalling $30,000.

Incidents of vandals cutting cables in Highlands, Crosby and Huffman along with two incidents in the west end of the county prompted the Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia to confer with Comcast Houston senior executives and raise the amount of reward for information leading to arrest or filing of felony charges up to $30,000.

Incidents over the last several months cutting the fiber optic cable have resulted in disruption of services and constituted a safety problem as 9-1-1 system services were interrupted.

“Through this partnership with Crime Stoppers and Harris County Sheriff’s Office we’re hoping to raise public awareness and put an end to this senseless vandalism,” said Ray Purser, vice-president of government and public relations at Comcast’s Houston region. “The disruption of service caused by these deliberate acts affects people’s lives including the ability to call 9-1-1 in the case of emergency.”

Of nine incidents that seriously disrupted services, seven were in northeast Harris County, four were in Crosby, two in Highlands and one in Huffman, east of the Commons of Lake Houston.

Both Highlands incidents were near Sralla Road.

All four of the Crosby incidents were not far off U.S. 90 – two at Gulf Pump Road and two nearer to the Liberty County Line.

Anyone with information about the identity of the suspect(s) is asked to contact CrimeStoppers. CrimeStoppers may be reached by calling 713-222-TIPS.