27 February 2008 13:52 Crowbars, hacksaws and power cables don’t mix – cable thieves lucky to escape alive, warns Central Networks

Two groups of thieves who used crowbars and a hacksaw to cut through live power lines in separate incidents across the West Midlands would have been lucky to escape alive, warned electricity distribution company Central Networks today.

In the latest cases where callous and foolish thieves have targeted high voltage power cables, those involved would have caused truly terrifying - and life-threatening - short circuits.

Engineers called to reports of a power cut in Telford, Shropshire, at the weekend found a crowbar embedded in switchgear equipment inside a substation and signs of burning in the area.

There would have been a very loud bang and flashing as 11,000 volts discharged through the metal bar.

A total of 112 customers lost power in the incident on Sunday evening (February 24), with electricity restored within two hours.

In a separate incident in Hopwas, near Lichfield, Staffordshire, on Saturday night, engineers found a melted hacksaw inside a vandalised substation. It is more than possible that the would-be thief was showered with molten copper after hacking into the cable.

In both incidents, despite the damage done and the risks caused, no metal was stolen.

Phil Wilson, Customer Operations Manager with Central Networks, said:"These are obviously not the brightest of people. The sheer stupidity of cutting through live power cables should be glaringly obvious to everyone.

"At the very least, wedging a crowbar into substation switchgear or putting a hacksaw through the cable would have shorted the circuit.

"It would have created an almighty bang and the line would have burned for quite a few seconds, showering them with molten metal.

"They could quite easily have lost their life. I can't stress highly enough that it's just not worth it."

The reckless - and potentially deadly - actions of thieves targeting power lines and electricity substations have already led to two fatalities, a number of serious injuries and more than 50,000 customers temporarily losing their electricity supply throughout the region.

These two incidents are the latest in a series of attempted thefts across the Midlands.

• In Warwickshire in January, thieves used a motorised disc cutter to attack a new 33,000 volt cable from the site of the new Rugby relief road;
• Last month in Creswell, north Derbyshire, a site investigation following a power cut revealed a rucksack at the bottom of a terminal pole, a hacksaw blade in one of the 11,000 volt cables and a blow torch, which was still lit.

Central Networks, which supplies power to 4.9 million customers from Lincolnshire to the Welsh borders, works closely with the charity Crimestoppers, which is offering a £1,000 reward for information leading to the successful prosecution and conviction of those responsible.

Individuals who wish to provide information about who is committing these crimes can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Witnesses to the Telford incident should call West Mercia Police on 08457 444 888, anyone with information on the Staffordshire incident should call police on 08453 30 20 10.

Ends

Notes to editors:

• Central Networks brings power to 4.9 million customers across central England through 133,000km of underground and overhead cables and via almost 97,000 substations;
• Central Networks covers an area from the Peak District in the north to parts of Bristol in the south, and from the Welsh Boarders to the Lincolnshire Coast.
• Crimestoppers is the only charity dedicated to solving crimes and taking criminals off the streets. Around 17 people are arrested and charged every day as a result of information given to Crimestoppers. One person is charged with murder every five days, as a result of information given to Crimestoppers;
• Crimestoppers also runs the Most Wanted website www.mostwanted-uk.org where people can give information about suspected criminals anonymously online;
• Since Crimestoppers began in 1988, it has had over 850,000 calls. There have been over 75,000 arrests, over £95m property has been recovered and over £130m worth of drugs has been seized.

For further information contact:

Andrew Barrow on 024 7618 3677