Verizon Site Mischief Cuts Police Phone Service
State Trooper Says Someone With Keys Went In Underground Vault


LEMONT FURNACE, Pa. -- State police in Uniontown said a 29-hour loss of landline phone service was caused by an act of criminal mischief when someone went into locked underground Verizon vaults and shut off the power.

Trooper Timothy Kirsch said there was no forced entry at the sites on Main Street and on Route 119 in Lemont Furnace, near the Penn State Fayette campus. Police believe whoever shut off the power had keys.

Police are trying to determine if the incident, which began at about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, is related to an ongoing strike by Verizon landline workers.

The local state police barracks was without phone and computer service for 21 hours, police said. Calls had to be forwarded to dispatchers who worked out of another barracks several miles away.

All of the Lemont Furnace area -- including many local businesses -- had no communication, data and cellphone service for about 29 hours, police said.

Police have no suspects and have made no arrests.


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