2 North Carolina, residents charged with cutting wires; 40,000 lose internet service

NORWALK, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut police have charged two people with cutting more than 2,000 fiber optic cables, leaving over 40,000 homes and businesses without internet service in the southwestern part of the state.

Norwalk police said they arrested Asheville, North Carolina, residents Jillian Persons and Austin Geddings on Saturday during a surveillance operation. Both were charged with larceny and criminal mischief crimes, as well as interfering with police. Persons also was accused of giving a false statement to police.

Both were detained on $200,000 bail. It was not immediately clear if they have lawyers who could respond to the allegations.

Police said they responded to the reported damage of the Optimum cables on March 24 in Norwalk and quickly identified suspects and their vehicle. Authorities did not release details of how they made the identifications.

Officers arrested Persons while staking out a business in Bridgeport, and Geddings was found a short time later in a wooded area in Stratford, police said Sunday.

Police said Persons and Geddings are scheduled to appear in court April 11.

The outages caused by the cable cutting have since been restored, according to Optimum's website.

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