The telecommunications company says it was the second major theft of copper cable since April from a bridge that carries state Route 10 traffic over the Cuyahoga River just south of downtown.
Thursday morning's theft disrupted AT&T service in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood until Monday. The company gave police a damage estimate of $25,000. The copper cables stolen from the same
location on April 1 were valued at $100,000.
Police are investigating both thefts.
AT&T spokesman Chris Bauer speculates that the thieves are taking the copper to sell for scrap.