A 200-foot AM radio tower in Jasper has been stolen without a trace.
Brett Elmore, general manager of WJLX 101.5 FM/1240 AM, expressed hope that someone would come forward with information to help law enforcement apprehend the culprits. Elmore was taken aback by the audacity of the theft.
“I’ve been trying all weekend to make sense of it, but I just can’t. I’ve been involved in the radio business my whole life, and I’ve never heard of anything like this. I thought I had seen it all,” Elmore said.
Elmore explained that they were alerted to the theft on Friday when a bush hog crew arrived at the WJLX tower site in Jasper to clean up the property, only to find it completely cleared out by the thieves.
“When he called me on Friday and said, ‘the tower is gone,’ I couldn’t believe it. I asked him if he was sure he was at the right place. He responded, ‘the tower is gone. Wires are scattered everywhere,’” Elmore added.
The station is currently working with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to obtain temporary authority to continue operations while they rebuild the AM side of their operations. The duration of the rebuilding efforts remains uncertain.
“This is a major setback for a small operation like ours, but I have faith that we will uncover the culprits. This is a federal crime, and they will realize it wasn’t worth it,” Elmore said. .
Jasper Police Department confirmed they are investigating the tower theft. Anyone with information regarding the incident is urged to contact either JPD at 205-221-2122 or Crime Stoppers at 205-221-5050.
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