LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- When a communications cable is cut, it can be hundreds of fiber lines serving thousands of customers. Fixing it has been described as putting spaghetti back together.

"It is absolutely frustrating and the events have been increasing in frequency," said Rob Meyer, the vice president of engineering at Spectrum.

California leads the nation in copper wire theft. More than 1,800 incidents in six month just last year.

ABC7's 7 On Your Side has told you about many people who lose phone and internet service. Often times, thieves cut the cables only to find its fiber-optic, not copper.

"It's literally glass in a tube," said Meyer. "When you look at it that way, there's no value."

But the loss to customers is huge. That's why Spectrum showed us how difficult and time cons

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