THIEVES launching regular strikes on broadband cabinets across Essex are leaving hundreds of homes without internet and the network provider counting the cost.

Police have dealt with dozens of reports of break-ins and theft of cabling from boxes across the county since June last year.

Openreach, which runs and maintains the UK’s digital network, said: “These attacks have caused significant damage to our network and disruption to local phone and broadband services.”

In the latest strike, launched by crooks between midnight and 2am on May 17, cabling was stolen from a box in Colchester Road, West Bergholt.

Dozens of homes and businesses were left without internet and phone lines for hours while Openreach worked to repair the problem.

Resident Lisa Barber, of the nearby Hall Road, told the Gazette there were “seven or eight” Openreach vans on the scene on Wednesday.

She said: “The scumbags must have cut everything in the cabinet – nothing is safe.

“Our dog was barking at about 12.30am on Tuesday. My husband went out with him, but couldn’t see anything.

“The next morning we couldn’t get Wi-Fi. All the properties on Hall Road would have been affected, as well as the local Co-op and hairdressers.

“I was meant to be working from home and I know a lot of people who are doing the same, but these thieves aren’t interested in that, they only want quick money.”

Gazette: Openreach vans were spotted in West Bergholt after the incidentOpenreach vans were spotted in West Bergholt after the incident

An Openreach spokesman said: “We are really disappointed people in West Bergholt and other parts of Essex are regularly bearing the brunt of criminal behaviour.

“Our security team is working closely with Essex Police and we’ve deployed additional security measures to protect our network from future attacks.

“Our engineers are working tirelessly to replace the cable, repair the damaged infrastructure and connect everyone back up again.

“We urge people to call 101 to report any suspicious activity to the police.

“Examples of this activity include seeing people lifting manhole lids or unusual activity around our network in fields late at night, particularly if it involves 4x4 vehicles.

“If members of the public do believe a crime is in progress then they should dial 999.”

A police spokesman said 50 such incidents have been reported across the county since June 2021.

He added: “Our enquiries are ongoing.”

Anyone with information can call 101, quoting crime reference number 42/123662/22.