A $1,000 reward is being provided to anyone providing information that leads to an arrest. (Photo: FCSO)
The Florence County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) is seeking public assistance in an investigation involving the theft of copper-bearing transmission line from a communications site at 2423 Walker-Swinton Road in Florence County, SC, where authorities say two individuals damaged and removed coaxial cable used to transmit radio signals to antennas.
The site contains two guyed communications towers—one standing 620 feet tall and the other approximately 400 feet in height—both registered with the Federal Communications Commission and owned by Resco Towers. Investigators have not yet confirmed which structure was targeted, or whether both towers sustained damage during the theft.
The Florence incident mirrors a growing national problem. A recent industry analysis found that communications infrastructure theft and vandalism are far more widespread than commonly acknowledged, documenting 15,540 incidents nationwide between June 2024 and June 2025, disrupting service for more than 9.5 million customers. The report cautioned that these figures likely understate the true scope of the problem because they largely exclude broadcast towers and other non-ISP facilities—precisely the type of infrastructure impacted by the Walker-Swinton Road theft—underscoring the increasing vulnerability of critical communications assets.
Based on FCC transmitter-site records, two broadcast stations are believed to operate transmission facilities from this site or its immediate compound:
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WFRK-FM 95.3, licensed to Quinby, South Carolina
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WOLH-AM 1230, licensed to Florence, South Carolina
The Sheriff’s Office has released photographs related to the incident and is urging anyone with information about the crime or the suspects’ identities to come forward. Tips may be submitted to FCSO investigators by calling (843) 665-2121, ext. 80171, through the “Submit-A-Tip” feature on the FCSO mobile app, or anonymously through Crime Stoppers of the Pee Dee at (843) 713-TIPS. A cash reward of up to $1,000 is being offered for information leading to an arrest.
