Thieves somehow take 200-foot radio tower

JASPER, Ala. (WBRC/Gray News) - A 200-foot AM radio tower in Alabama is gone, stolen without a trace.

WJLX’s AM station signal has been greatly impacted by the theft in Walker County.

Station general manager Brett Elmore said he remains hopeful that somebody will share information to help law enforcement find those responsible for the theft. Still, he said he is blown away by what happened.

“I have tried all weekend to figure it out, and I just can’t. I have been in the radio business, around it all my life and then in it professionally for 26 years, and I can say I have never heard of anything like this. I can say I’ve seen it all now,” Elmore said.

He said they first learned of the theft on Friday. He said a bush hog crew went down to the WJLX tower site to clean up the property, but the thieves had already cleared it out.

“When he arrived, he called me Friday and said, ‘The tower is gone.’ I said, ‘What do you mean the tower is gone? Are you sure you are at the right place?’ you know. He said, ‘The tower is gone. There is wires everywhere, and it is gone.’”

Elmore said they are working with the FCC to get temporary authority to carry on while they rebuild the AM side of their operations. Still, its unclear just how long the rebuild efforts could take.

“This really hurts a small operation like this, but like I said, I believe we will find out who did this. It is a federal crime and it absolutely will not be worth it to them,” he said.

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