'Totally false' 5G conspiracy theories blamed for series of 'infuriating' cell tower arsons across NZ

It’s believed the towers are being sabotaged because of conspiracy theories linking 5G to illnesses like Covid-19.

Parts of New Zealand could lose cell phone and internet reception because of arson attacks on cell towers.

Mysterious fires have hit 15 cell towers in the last six weeks, now our major telecommunications companies are coming together to say enough is enough.

"To start attacking critical infrastructure at a time like this, where people are trying to keep in touch with family and friends, it's quite infuriating actually," TCF chief executive Geoff Thorn told 1 NEWS.

"We're really concerned about it because what it does is actually put lives potentially at risk."

South Auckland's been hit the hardest. It's where 10 of the fires have occurred.

But Manukau Ward councillor Alf Filipaina doesn't believe it's locals who are causing the damage.

"The mobile phone and the networks, it's important to them. It's like a lifeline with their phones especially in South Auckland," says Mr Filipaina.

"People don't have coverage which means they can't ring 111. I'm pissed off, I don't know why they're doing it."

The attacks are thought to be linked to widely-debunked conspiracy theories related to 5G mobile networks and Covid-19, which nanotechnologist Dr Michelle Dickinson are "totally false".

"There's a huge amount of misinformation being shared very quickly through social media, which is making people afraid," she says.

"Conspiracy theories are really easy to believe. They're beautiful on social media, they're very convincing, however just check your sources."

Police say inquiries into the arsons are continuing and are appealing to the public to report anything suspicious around cell tower sites.

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