Slush Pile: Copper Wire Bandit Shocked

2006 Slush Pile

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Copper Wire Bandit Shocked

2006 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance

This is similar the the www.wacotrib.com 24 Dec 2005 article submitted 1-3-2006 submitted by Ehud Karni at twoods@wacotrib.com. However, this is much more recent. FROM: http://www.dailybulletin.com/search/ci_3470692

Thieves target power, phone wires AT&T offers reward for information By Jannise Johnson, Staff Writer

POMONA - The day after police discovered the body of a man who may been electrocuted while attempting to steal copper wire from a power line, AT&T announced a reward offered for information leading to the conviction of cable thieves.

Pomona police found the body of a man Wednesday morning in the 2000 block of Pomona Boulevard, according to a police statement.

The man's name has not yet been released, but investigators determined the man was electrocuted while trying to steal wire from an electric pole.

"They found the power was out at the lumber yard. Then they saw he (the victim) had cutters in his hand," said Pomoma police Sgt. Gordon Jones.

The body also sported burn marks, Jones said.

Detectives from the Pomona Police Department did not return calls seeking comment on the investigation.

Approximately 1,000 customers were affected for a few seconds when the Southern California Edison equipment at the location of the attempted theft was tampered with at 12:45 a.m., said Jenetta Harris, Edison spokeswoman.

Crews were immediately sent to investigate the reason for the interruption, she said. They patrolled until 3 a.m. but were unable to find the cause of the malfunction.

Pomona police contacted Edison around 10 a.m. Wednesday about a dead man found at the base of one of their power poles, Harris said. Edison also received a separate call around the same time from a business owner in the area who reported having partial power, she said.

Edison isn't the only corporation being targeted by wire and cable thieves.

AT&T released a statement about thefts of cable throughout the Inland Empire on Thursday.

AT&T is offering a $10,000 reward to anyone who provides information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for cutting and stealing telephone cable, the statement said.

Both Tory Neff, spokeswoman for AT&T, and Harris confirmed the power wires and phone cables are made of copper.

Harris said the copper wire is expensive and can be sold to recycling centers. Generally, thieves don't target power poles because of the inherent danger involved, she said.

"It's not like we get a lot of (thefts) all the time," Harris said. "People are afraid of electricity, so they try to stay away from it."

AT&T phone cables are not dangerous, Neff said. As a result, the communications company has documented "a few" copper cable thefts in the Inland Empire. However, Huff would not release the dates or locations of the incidents because police are still investigating.

Neff was not sure if one person or a group of people are responsible for all the cable thefts.

And while Neff confirmed that service was interrupted during the AT&T cable thefts, she did not have details on the interruptions.

AT&T is asking anyone with information on these thefts to call AT&T Security at (213) 633-2558 or (213) 633-2405.

Jannise Johnson can be reached by e-mail at jannise.johnson@dailybulletin.com or by phone at (909) 483-9318.

Submitted on 02/05/2006

Submitted by: Richard Hollenbeck
Reference: http://www.dailybulletin.com

>> Moderator Scores <<

James said:
Definitely Toss: Too Common
Gadzooks, yet ANOTHER instance of some mook stealing copper wire from a live power line! WILL THEY NEVER LEARN? Thank you, Richard, for submitting, but this sort of thing is WAY beyond too common at this point! Check our archives if you don't believe me...!

Jack said:
Definitely Toss: Too Common
Thanks, but thieves getting electrocuted while trying to steal copper wires carrying current are simply too common to make a good award. Thanks anyway, Richard. We appreciate the contribution!

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Copper Wire Bandit Shocked

2006 Reader Submission Pending Acceptance

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2006 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance

>> The Darwin Awards, by Wendy Northcutt <<
Link to Fight Evil.