Thieves stole a $2,000 wind generator from Jim Pazarena's wireless internet receiver on Moresby Island's Mt. Poole, interrupting wireless service to Queen Charlotte and Skidegate last week. The theft occurred sometime before October 29.
A wind generator with a toaster sized housing and 4 foot diameter blades was stolen, and batteries worth $1,000 were damaged, says Mr. Pazarena of QCIslands.net.
He will have to pay for the equipment out of his own pocket, he says. No rate increase to customers is planned, but he will have to delay installation of wireless service to Sandspit until summer. He had hoped to be providing that service by Christmas.
The stolen equipment will be replaced in a couple of weeks, with beefed up security, but the site at Mt. Poole is isolated and difficult to protect.
"The unfortunate thing is, as much as you secure a site, a thief will get in if they really want to," says Mr. Pazarena.