THUNDER BAY – The high price of copper is bringing out the bad guys. Over the past week, the police have had three incidents of theft of copper in the Sudbury area. Hydro One urges Ontario residents to call Crime Stoppers to report suspected copper theft from its stations and facilities in an attempt to fight a rise of incidents along the Highway 17 corridor that are causing serious safety concerns. Break-ins to three Sudbury-area distribution stations were reported to police this week.
“Copper thieves risk serious or fatal injury, and put employees, first responders and the public at risk,” said Myles D’Arcey, Hydro One Senior Vice President of Operations. “Stealing the copper fittings that ground high-voltage equipment is extremely dangerous, and that danger extends to our crews who have to be very careful as they make repairs in stations where copper theft has occurred, and equipment is no longer properly grounded.”
Copper wire theft continues to increase in North America, and Hydro One has been the target of a growing number of thefts in recent months, from an average of 10 per month six months ago to 16 per month this summer. Hydro One continues to welcome the assistance of police and scrap dealers’ associations in targeting thieves, and to also encourage the assistance of members of the public who can report suspected copper theft by calling Crime Stoppers anonymously.
In Thunder Bay you can reach Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
You can also submit a tip on their secure online website: https://www.tipsubmit.com/WebTips.aspx?AgencyID=273
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