Thieves take off with 200-foot radio tower and transmitter in Alabama, knocking a local station off the air

(CNN) — A small-town radio station manager had a big surprise when he learned the station’s 200-foot radio tower and transmitter in Jasper, Alabama, was missing.

Brett Elmore, the general manager of WJLX, said his landscaper had been doing a cleanup of the property Friday when the crew discovered the tower was gone.

Every piece of equipment had also been stolen and the wires to the tower had been cut at the site, Elmore said in a Facebook post.

“I have heard of thieves in this area stealing anything, but this one takes the cake,” he said.

Elmore told CNN Tuesday he was still shocked the tower, which had been in place since the 1950s, was no longer standing.

The AM station runs at 1,000 watts, according to the FCC website.

Since the theft has knocked the AM station off the air, WJLX is petitioning for the FCC to give it a waiver to continue to broadcast on the FM station, which is still on the air, Elmore said.

“My mission is to get the AM back on as quickly as possible,” he said.

The Jasper Police Department is investigating the theft, Jasper Police Public Information Officer Rachel Karr told CNN.

Elmore, who grew up in the small city about 40 miles northwest of Birmingham, said radio has always been a part of his life and is a big part of the community.

“This has always been a radio town. People here love the radio station and has always supported it,” he said.

“This isn’t going to stop me,” he added. “This is a federal offense when you tamper with a broadcast facility. It will carry some serious prison time if we can catch who did this. I will be satisfied when that happens.”

“But I’ll tell you one thing,” Elmore said. “You’re not going to keep me down. You may have me down for a little while, but I’ll be back.”