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Cablevision Saboteur Identified as Verizon Employee

This is taking competition to a whole new level.

A man who knocked out service to 8,000 Cablevision customers in New York has been identified as an employee of rival TV and telephone service provider Verizon.

Vincent Gargano was charged with criminal mischief and tampering for allegedly cutting cable lines in early January, causing $1,500 worth of damage to wires and equipment and a six-hour TV screen and phone call blackout, according to the New York Post.

The 40-year-old Gargano was caught after surveillance cameras at a home near where lines were cut captured his image.

Verizon confirmed that Gargano was an employee.

Actions such as the police describe are not consistent with how Verizon conducts business,” a company spokesman told the Post. We are assisting the police in their investigation.”

All of the customers who lost power received credit for several days of lost service.