The number of attacks on mobile phone masts has climbed to around 90 since the coronavirus lockdown began, the UK’s network trade body has revealed.
MobileUK said it has currently recorded 87 arson incidents against network towers across the country, but warned there might be a delay on information from the bank holiday weekend.
It comes as Derbyshire Police appealed for witnesses after firefighters were called to a mast blaze in the Chaddesden area of Derby on Sunday, following a string of cases in recent months.
“We believe the fire was started deliberately,” the force said.
Attacks against masts have surged since March amid conspiracy theories linking 5G technology to the spread of Covid-19, a claim experts have called “baseless” and “utter rubbish”.
