Fiber Optics Cable Network Damaged on Mauna Kea

Damage to a fiber optics cable network on Mauna Kea has led to the initiation of a criminal property damage case by the Hawai’i Police Department.

According to HPD, an employee with Mauna Kea Observatories Support Services reported the damage on Thursday, Oct. 15 following an investigation into the cause of a June 24 malfunction of a buried fiber optical line linking observatories on Mauna Kea to the University of Hawai’i network.

During the support services investigation, they reportedly determined that a fiber optics cable in a conduit was tampered with and then pushed back into the conduit to avoid detection. The conduit is located about halfway between Hale Pōhaku and the summit of Mauna Kea, and the damage occurred in a “hand hole” next to a service road about 700 feet from the Mauna Kea Access Road.

Authorities say $50,000 in damages occurred.

Anyone with information about the case should call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311 or directly contact Officer Jerome Duarte at 961-2211.

Those who prefer to maintain anonymity should call the Big Island Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300.