WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Computers used by Purdue University police and airport were inoperable for a time after someone cut the underground fiber optic cables that carry data to the systems, police said.
Intruders entered the utility tunnels through a sidewalk grate, police said.
The damage was done early Saturday when someone used bolt cutters to sever several large fiber optic cables that lead to campus computers and coaxial cables connected to university residence hall cable systems, said Purdue University Deputy Police Chief Steven Dietrich.
The damage to the cables stalled computer service to the police department dispatch system and the Purdue University Airport records system, along with other campus buildings. Dietrich said it is hard to say how much data was lost at the police department.
Workers were able to restore service to all buildings within 24 hours.
Dietrich estimated damage at $500 to $1,000.
"We're not sure if it was one, two or 10 (vandals)," Dietrich said. "They're a dangerous place to be in -- the steam tunnels. There's a great deal of potential harm."
http://www.indystar.com/articles/3/169130-5033-102.html
This is a very suspicious story. I wonder if vandals = terrorists.