Canada NewsRecent rash of copper wire thefts causes outages, damage in rural Nova Scotia: RCMPRash of copper wire theftsPhoto: The Canadian Press Federal officials say copper wire theft is on the rise in Canada. Examples of network cables that have been targeted by thieves for the copper wire, are shown on display at a news conference in Fresno, Calif., on May 2, 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/The Fresno Bee, John WalkerRCMP in northern and central Nova Scotia are investigating recent thefts of copper wire that have caused phone and internet outages, as well as significant property damage. Canadian telecom companies have been complaining about the growing number of copper wire thefts for years. Major companies such as Bell Canada and Telus Corp. have been decommissioning some of their copper lines in recent years amid a long-term pivot toward fibre-optic networks.