Los Padres Estates resident Dave Thomas tells The Mountain Daily News that a section of phone cable along Lebec Road was stolen sometime before yesterday morning; leaving a large portion of Lebec without telephone service.  The lines were cut just south of Los Padres Estates. 

Copper has a high resale/recycle value, so it is presumed that the cable was stolen to be exchanged for cash.  The telephone repairmen worked quickly to replace the missing cable and restore service.  Kern County Sheriff is investigating the crime.