Scores of residents in St Elizabeth are without telephone or high-speed Internet service after vandals cut several wires belonging to Cable and Wireless in a section of the parish.

In a release issued by the company on Thursday, the company said that the vandalism had affected several communities. "Vandalism to Cable & Wireless facilities has left some 500 of the company's customers in sections of St Elizabeth without telephone service, regular and wireless, as well as high-speed Internet services," the release said.

The affected communities include Junction, Shaddock Hill, New Forest, Alligator Pond and Restore in the parish.

The release said the company's technicians yesterday began installing new cables and service would be restored on a phased basis. The release also said that because of the extent of the damage, full restoration of service to the affected areas could not be guaranteed before Sunday, March 9. "Cable & Wireless Jamaica apologises to its customers for any inconvenience which may be experienced," the release said.

The vandalism has been reported to the Junction Police Station and an investigation is to be done into the matter. Since last year, the telephone company spent over $100 million repairing and replacing damaged or stolen cable wires.

In an effort to stem the robberies, the company also launched a programme with Crime Stop in November last year. In the joint programme aimed at cracking down on the theft of its transmission wires, cash rewards of up to $1 million were being offered for information leading to the arrest of anyone involved in the theft.

The telecommunications pro-vider had commissioned Crime Stop to run a media campaign to encourage members of the public to provide information about persons involved in stealing its cables.