Three men jailed for theft of Openreach cables
An investigation was started in 2022
Three men have been jailed, for a total of 13 years, after the theft of large quantities of telecommunications cable, worth more than £100,000.
They were sentenced at Norwich Crown Court, on Wednesday 30 September 2026.
Henry Harbour, 30, of Meadow Lane, Runwell, Essex, was sentenced to 4 years 10 months imprisonment, after previously admitting six counts of theft.
Scott McIntosh, 58, of Darrell Place, Norwich, was sentenced to 3 years 8 months imprisonment, after previously admitted handling stolen goods.
Earnest Oakley, 32, of Swanton Road, Norwich, was sentenced to 4 years 10 months imprisonment, after previously admitting six counts of theft. He was also sentenced on the same day, for an unrelated assault on a baby. The judge ordered both sentences to run consecutively, meaning Oakley was jailed for a total of 6 years.
An investigation was started in 2022, after a series of thefts of copper cable, belonging to Openreach. The offences predominantly happened in rural areas of the North Norfolk and Broadland areas and included thefts in Colton, Shipdham and Great Witchingham.
In each case, manhole covers were accessed by the thieves, who then cut the cables and winched them out, causing many Openreach customers to lose service.
Oakley and Harbour were identified as suspects and arrested in July 2022. McIntosh was arrested a month later, in August. All three men were were charged in July 2024, with their first court appearance in August 2024.
After sentencing, Police Constable Phil Cook, from Norfolk Constabulary, said: "These men showed a complete disregard for the significant impact their crimes would have on local communities.
"Their thefts had the potential to leave vulnerable people in rural areas unable to call for help when they needed it most, while also causing disruption and inconvenience to local businesses and residents.
"The offences also had a substantial financial impact on Openreach, including the cost of replacing stolen copper cable and carrying out associated repairs.
"We welcome the sentences handed down by the court and the fact that all three men have now been jailed for their actions."
Director for Resilience and Integrity at Openreach, Andy Shepherd, said: “Cable theft causes real harm. When phone and broadband services are taken out, it’s not just frustrating - it can leave vulnerable people without the support they rely on.
“Putting things right isn’t quick or easy. Our engineers have to be pulled away from other vital work, repairs can take weeks and the cost runs into thousands of pounds.
“We take protecting our network seriously. We use a range of security measures, to deter theft and help catch those responsible. Every incident is investigated by our specialist security team and our network is monitored 24/7, from our control centre.
“That’s why we’re pleased to have worked closely with Norfolk Police and local partners, on a joined‑up approach, that’s delivered a positive result.”
Anyone with any information around cable theft can contact Norfolk Police online or or calling Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.