Verizon offered $50,000 reward for information leading to arrest ...
Verizon offered $50,000 reward for information leading to arrest and conviction of vandals who disrupted phone service to 9,000 customers in central and southern N.J. over last 3 weeks. First incident occurred in Bergen County Dec. 18, just one…
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day before Verizon laid off 361 N.J. network technicians as part of companywide work force reduction that eliminated 3,500 jobs. Since Dec. 19 layoff, Verizon said it experienced 64 more instances of vandalism to poles, lines, terminal boxes and other outside plant facilities. Carrier declined to speculate on any link between its layoffs and vandal attacks, but said nature of incidents indicated vandals had good knowledge of phone system’s workings. Laid- off technicians all were IBEW members. Local union officials said they didn’t condone vandalism for any reason. Verizon originally offered $25,000 reward but decided Jan. 2 to double it in face of continued vandalism incidents.