Southwest Gas Corp.’s management said it has teamed with Pima County, AZ Attorney’s 88-CRIME program to offer a reward of up to $100,000.00 for information that leads to the arrest and indictment of the individual or individuals responsible for the sabotage of Southwest Gas’ natural gas distribution system.

Southwest Gas over the past two years has been the victim of a number of acts of sabotage made against their natural gas distribution system in the greater Tucson area. The first in a line of many incidents occurred Nov. 6, 2000. The company said it has received two anonymous letters from the alleged culprit or culprits, but they do not believe the incidents are acts of terrorism.

Southwest Gas spokeswoman Libby Howell said none of these incidents have resulted in injury or damage to customers’ property because the company’s employees responded promptly. “The nature of the sabotage has been conducted against both above-ground facilities and underground pipelines,” she said. Howell added that the attacks have either disrupted service or created leakage. She noted that while three of the incidents resulted in outages that have inconvenienced its customers, the company is more concerned with the possible danger leaks could produce.

“The person or persons that have committed these acts clearly know what they are doing,” said Howell. “So it is somebody who has very specialized knowledge of natural gas distribution systems. It could be existing employees, it could be former employees, it could be people who worked for utilities in other cities. Right now, law enforcement is not ruling out any possibilities.”

Local law enforcement, the FBI, and the Arizona Corporation Commission Office of Pipeline Safety were notified from the very first incident. The investigation is being led by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and has been recently supplemented by the FBI.

Howell said anyone with information regarding the case is urged to call 88-CRIME at (502) 882-7463. Callers can remain anonymous.

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