Sawed Down and Toppled: It Was About to Go Into Service—Who Sabotaged This Orange Relay Antenna in Lamoura?
In Lamoura in the Jura region, the cell tower installed in June 2025 was cut down and brought to the ground over the May 1 weekend. An investigation is underway. The installation of this cell tower less than a year ago had sparked opposition due to its proximity to several homes.
For nearly a week, the cell tower, located near the hamlet of Le Boulu in Lamoura (Haut-Jura), has been lying on the trail that runs alongside it. On Wednesday, April 29, during a hike in the countryside, a hiker was surprised to find the antenna on the ground, its base severed. “As soon as we found out, we alerted the gendarmerie, who went to the scene to secure the site,” said Lamoura’s mayor, Antoine Delacroix. Was the act of vandalism committed in broad daylight or at night? “We don’t know any more than that,” comments the mayor, who was absent and outside the town at the time of the incident. Some neighbors interviewed said they saw and heard nothing.
The mobile phone operator Orange, which owns the antenna, has filed a complaint, as it does “automatically” in cases like this. “An act of vandalism like this is very rare; it’s a shame for the residents, who will be inconvenienced by the delay this will cause,” said Cyprien Mateos, Orange’s regional representative.
Another complaint was filed by ATC, the company that owns and manages the tower. The Saint-Claude gendarmerie confirmed to us that an investigation is underway. Clearly well-equipped, the perpetrators carried out their act of sabotage out of sight, as the nearest residence is located just under 100 meters from the relay station. This is reportedly the second incident of vandalism to occur in a month.
Of the two sites considered, the one located closest to residential homes was selected—a decision the group deplores. Indeed, the site chosen by Orange is 75 meters from the nearest home, and 13 other houses are within 300 meters of the antenna, whereas the second site under consideration was 300 meters from any residential homes. The group had filed an appeal with the Besançon Administrative Court and then with the Nancy Court of Appeals. These appeals were dismissed on procedural grounds.
According to Orange, “the site survey was conducted in collaboration with the municipality in a fully transparent manner.” The operator notes that its radio department evaluated and analyzed several sites to meet the requirements. “The Boulu site is the best location to meet our legal obligations, whereas the second site does not provide sufficient coverage for residential units, covering only 60% of the target,” it adds.
The severed tower will need to be removed, and a new antenna will be installed “depending on any damage caused,” Orange states, without specifying a date for the antenna to become operational. An antenna costs a total of 120,000 euros. “Not everything was damaged; the base was not damaged,” explains Cyprien Mateos, Orange’s regional representative.
Acts of vandalism against cell towers in the Jura region in recent years
This act of vandalism targeting a cell tower is far from an isolated incident. In July 2020, two men, aged 39 and 58, were sentenced to three and four years in prison, respectively, by the Lons-le-Saunier Criminal Court for attempting to set fire to a cell tower in Foncine-le-Haut (Jura) by throwing Molotov cocktails. As a result, 1,500 people were without cell service for a week. During the hearing, the younger of the two perpetrators claimed responsibility for his actions, citing what he considered to be the harmful effects of 5G.
Earlier, in May 2020, another man in his thirties was sentenced to four years in prison, including two years without parole, by the Nancy Criminal Court for setting fire to cell towers located at the summit of Mont Poupet in the Jura region. He was also ordered to pay 91,000 euros in damages.