This story has been updated with a response from Xfinity.

A severed cable in the 200 block of North Main Avenue in Kankakee was the cause of an approximate eight-hour loss of internet services within Kankakee County.

While the service has been at least partially restored as of shortly after 11 a.m. Friday, Kankakee Police Deputy Chief Donell Austin said this morning that this outage was “definitely done purposely.”

An Xfinity spokesman also noted this outage was caused by an “act of vandalism.”

The company, according to a Kankakee police report, estimated damage at $100,000.

When workers arrived at the location at about 5 a.m., they discovered two fiber optic cables had been intentionally cust and wrapped around the pole’s base.

Kankakee police encourage anyone with information to contact the Investigations Division at 815-933-0426.

Austin said the service line is an inch or so thick, meaning it is a significant line.

Early reports indicate more than 2,000 accounts within Kankakee County were without internet services nearly the entirety of the morning, according the Xfinity Outage Map.

Austin said an investigation is underway. As of about noon today, a suspect has not been identified, he said.

Camera footage monitoring this area will be reviewed.

Austin said there is no question the damage was not caused by an act of nature nor by an animal.

He added this incident is also likely not to be some random act.

“You would have to have knowledge of this to do this kind of damage,” he said. “There was a significant amount of damage. Someone had knowledge of what it was and where it was” in regard to the service line.

How the line was cut has not been stated.

Teddy Bailey, a spokesman with Comcast, said crews were working diligently to restore services “following an act of vandalism” in Kankakee.

“Our crews responded quiclly and have restored service to a majority of affected customers,” said in an email to The Journal. “We are working with local authorities and will continue efforts to fully restore service to the remaining customers as soon as possible.”