Current:Home > MarketsA 200-foot radio tower in Alabama is reportedly stolen. The crime has police baffled. -Global Capital Summit
A 200-foot radio tower in Alabama is reportedly stolen. The crime has police baffled.
View
Date:2025-04-13 06:55:05
A 200-foot radio tower in Alabama was stolen and has gone missing without a trace, taking down an AM station with it. The crime left the station's radio manager and police blown away and confused, according to media outlets.
“I have tried all weekend to figure it out, and I just can’t," Brett Elmore, the station's general manager of WJLX’s AM Station in Jasper, Alabama, said in a statement. "I have been in the radio business, around it all my life and then in it professionally for 26 years, and I can say I have never heard of anything like this. I can say I’ve seen it all now.”
According to the statement, Elmore learned about the theft of WJLX's tower on last Friday. A landscaping company went down to the tower on Feb. 2, which was located in a wooded area behind a local poultry plant, reports the Guardian, to clean up the property. But when they got there, they realized someone else had done it and taken way more than they needed to.
According to the Guardian, Elmore believes the thieves stole the tower to make money off selling the metal.
The GM told the Guardian that around six months ago, a different station that was close by had an AC unit, copper pipes, and other materials stolen from them. Elmore is not sure if the two are connected.
When speaking with the media outlet, Elmore added that Jasper has always supported its local stations.
"The sad part is that Jasper has always been a radio town," he told the Guardian.
More radio news:Radio crew's 'bathwater' stunt leads to Jacob Elordi being accused of assault in Australia
Radio tower stolen: How much will it cost to replace?
The station has started a GoFundMe to help recuperate the cost of the tower.
Since the property wasn't insured, Elmore believes it would cost $60,000 to replace the tower, according to a statement on the station's GoFundMe.
It's "more money than we have," he told the Guardian.
So far, they have raised $766 out of the $60,000 required.
"This is a major setback for a small operation like ours," said Elmore in a statement. "But I have faith that we will uncover the culprits. This is a federal crime, and they will realize it wasn’t worth it.”
Radio silent: Station forced off-air due to reported theft
On the station's website, it reports that it was trying to work with the FCC for temporary authority to continue business as usual on FM radio while they rebuild their tower and get back onto the AM side of the radio
But Thursday morning, the FCC told them they would not be allowed to broadcast. While the station does have an FM transmitter and tower, the FCC said they would have to go off the air since it isn't allowed to operate on the FM side of things while their AM station is off-air, reports the Guardian.
“Now we’re silent, but we won’t be silent for long," Elmore said to the Guardian. "I’m gonna work tirelessly to get this thing back up and running, one way or the other.”
It's unclear how long the rebuild process will actually take, Alabama news outlet WSFA reports. According to a statement given to WSFA by the radio station, they did shut down their FM tower, but the station will continue to its broadcast online.
Investigation into stolen radio tower underway
The Guardian says Elmore is still hopeful that more will be revealed, either on surveillance video from the poultry factory or a witness who worked at the plant and saw what happened.
In the station's statement, they confirmed that the Jasper Police Department is investigating the tower theft.
They're urging anyone with information regarding the incident to contact either JPD at 205-221-2122 or Crime Stoppers at 205-221-505.
veryGood! (6)
Related
- NFL Week 15 picks straight up and against spread: Bills, Lions put No. 1 seed hopes on line
- Tom Brady Shares “Best Part” of His Retirement—And It Proves He's the MVP of Dads
- ‘I love you but I hate you.’ What to do when you can’t stand your long-term partner
- Former Justice Herb Brown marks his 93rd birthday with a new book — and a word to Ohio voters
- Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor
- Officials warn that EVs could catch fire if inundated with saltwater from Hurricane Helene
- Shohei Ohtani 50-50 home run ball: Auction starts with lawsuit looming
- Federal government postpones sale of floating offshore wind leases along Oregon coast
- Intel's stock did something it hasn't done since 2022
- As political scandal grips NYC, a fictional press conference puzzles some New Yorkers
Ranking
- This was the average Social Security benefit in 2004, and here's what it is now
- Florida financial adviser indicted in alleged illegal tax shelter scheme
- Maryland man convicted of shooting and wounding 2 police officers in 2023
- NMSU football play-caller Tyler Wright's social media has dozens of racist, sexist posts
- Sonya Massey's father decries possible release of former deputy charged with her death
- Judge tosses lawsuit against congressman over posts about man not involved in Chiefs’ rally shooting
- What time is Alycia Baumgardner vs. Delfine Persoon fight? Walk-in time for main event
- What is heirs' property? A new movement to reclaim land lost to history
Recommendation
Who's hosting 'Saturday Night Live' tonight? Musical guest, how to watch Dec. 14 episode
App State cancels football game against Liberty in North Carolina after Helene causes flooding
A rare condor hatched and raised by foster parents in captivity will soon get to live wild
Ohio’s fall redistricting issue sparked a fight over one word. So what is ‘gerrymandering,’ anyway?
A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
Sean 'Diddy' Combs impregnated victim, Yung Miami encouraged abortion, lawsuit alleges
The Best Horror Movies Available to Stream for Halloween 2024
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Alum Kim Richards Gets Into Confrontation With Sister Kyle Richards