“Have you ever seen a 200-foot tower go by?”
That’s the question WJLX general manager Brett Elmore asked everyone last week after thieves broke into the station’s AM tower, forcing the station to shut down. That’s a question.
A station in Jasper, Alabama, has been ordered off the air by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as authorities continue to investigate how and why a heavy steel structure suddenly disappeared.
“In all my years of business and business, I have never seen anything like this,” Elmore told the Post.
“I’ve never heard of a 200-foot tower being stolen,” he added.
The FCC says the self-proclaimed “Sound of Walker County” still has FM transmitters and towers, but they are not allowed to operate while AM stations are off the air.
Elmore added that Walker County has a population of about 68,000 people, and that “even though this is an unusual situation, even though we are the only voice in this community, we still have to give them a voice.” won’t allow that.”
The bizarre theft had a significant impact on the station, which has been on the air since the mid-1950s, and the communities it serves, he told the Post.
“It’s a safety issue. If something [significant] If something were to happen, listeners could tune in and we wouldn’t be there,” he said.
“With our station going down, our community lost its sound and voice.”
Replacing the tower could cost between $60,000 and $100,000, Elmore told the Post, adding that the station property did not have theft insurance.
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The theft was discovered on February 2 when maintenance crews arrived to perform work at the site. This radio tower was previously located in a wooded area behind a local chicken farm.
Elmore said the robbers dismantled the tower by cutting the wires that held it in place, and stole other equipment on the property. He said the thieves also stole the station’s AM transmitter from a nearby building.
Elmore immediately reported the theft, but said local police were equally surprised by the brazen robbery. It is believed that the thieves stole the tower to sell it as scrap metal.
If arrested, the suspect punishable by a fine or imprisonment for up to 10 years.
“Police are reviewing some video footage, but to my knowledge there are no new developments,” Elmore said.
Jasper Police Department spokeswoman Rachel Carr confirmed Friday that authorities are investigating the incident. Police said in a statement that the theft was reported to police on February 2, but the date and time of the crime were unknown. Police are appealing for information from the public.
News of the tower theft spread quickly, and Elmore is now trying to capitalize on it by starting a GoFundMe page to raise money for the tower’s replacement. As of Friday afternoon, just over $1,300 had been raised.
“It’s amazing that a 200-foot tower could disappear, but it’s also very tragic because it hit small businesses and small communities where local radio is very much alive,” he said. Told.
That’s why Elmore insists the new tower will be protected with gates, locks and cameras.
“I will spare no expense to make Alcatraz look like we never saw anything.” [compared to our facility],” he added.
