30 July 2010 14:39 Reward increased to £5,000 to catch chainsaw bandits

Central Networks is offering a £5,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of anyone responsible for a spate of chainsaw attacks on power poles in rural Nottinghamshire.

In an effort to stem the dangerous attacks on the electricity network, Central Networks has increased its usual CrimeStoppers reward five-fold.

Phil Wilson, Customer Operations Manager for Central Networks, said: "We take these attacks very seriously and we want to see the perpetrators caught and brought to justice.

"These are spectacularly dangerous attacks that could leave the thieves either dead or with horrendous injuries. In addition, they leave behind a potentially dangerous situation, particularly if the poles are left dangling from the overhead lines.

"There's also the inconvenience to customers when they lose power either during the attack or in the aftermath when we carry out repairs."

The £5,000 reward is on offer for information leading to a conviction relating to the following attacks:

• A power pole was chainsawed and left lying on its side just off the ground in a field near Middle Bridge Road, Gringley-on-the-Hill. Around 30 customers were without power while repairs were carried out on Friday (30 July);
• A farmer reported a further pole in a field in Gringley-on-the-Hill had been cut and was being supported by overhead power lines on the same day;
• In Misterton Carr, North Nottinghamshire, two power poles were cut down and copper cabling stolen on early Monday (26^th July) morning, leaving more than 260 customers without power;
• Engineers also found a further two power poles nearby, which had been cut but were still standing, being supported by the overhead lines;
• In Swinethorpe, in Newark-on-Trent, at the weekend engineers investigating a fault found three poles had been attacked with a chainsaw and copper wiring had been stolen, leaving more than 200 customers without power;

Anyone with information about any of these cases is urged to contact police or call CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.

Ends

Notes to editors:

• Central Networks, provides a reliable supply to 10 million people in central England through 133,000km of underground and overhead cables - enough to go round the Earth more than three times - and via almost 94,000 substations.
• Central Networks covers an area from the Peak District in the north to parts of Bristol in the south, and from the Welsh Borders to the Lincolnshire Coast.

 

For further information contact:

Alisha Allen on 02476 192 063