It looks like you guys don't have this entry. I googled for Columbus Dead Copper Thieves and found a couple ...

Two deaths spur AEP to warn about copper thefts Wednesday, June 30, 2010 02:52 AM By Josh Jarman THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

American Electric Power is asking the public to keep an eye out for copper thieves after two recent deaths.

A Ross County man was killed Saturday after authorities say he tried to strip copper grounding wire from a South Central Power Co. substation near Clarksburg. A West Virginia man was killed earlier this month when he tried to take grounding wire from an AEP Appalachian Power electrical pole in Logan County, W.Va.

In response to the deaths, AEP Ohio has sent out a news release asking customers and the public to report any suspicious activity they see near substations or power lines to prevent more deaths or the loss of power to customers, spokeswoman Vikki Michalski said yesterday.

Michalski said there have been about 95 thefts from company property since this time last year. Each incident can lead to a loss of power to customers while company officials make repairs. Repairs can cost as much as $25,000 each - a cost eventually passed to customers.

She said the thieves' favorite target is ground wires, which puts company employees at risk because the wires channel electricity away other equipment at the stations, preventing it from becoming energized.

Cutting ground wires likely caused the electrocution of Michael R. Martin, 42, of Frankfort, who was found dead inside a South Central substation Saturday. Ross County deputy sheriffs, who were called to the station on a report of a man inside the facility, found Martin lying on the ground next to a pair of bolt cutters.

(Mike D Edit here ... it pays to understand electrical basics BEFORE tampering with high voltage ... Classic Darwin here:)

A South Central employee told deputies that electricity in the lines likely passed through Martin as he tried to cut the second ground wire because the power had nowhere else to go after he cut the first line.

(Mike D. -- But this one REALLY takes the cake:)

A Bruno, W.Va., man was killed June 6 after authorities there say he tried to remove a ground wire from a utility pole and it became entangled with actively charged lines, electrocuting him. Morris Michael Goodman, 37, was found dead by a man driving his all-terrain vehicle in the area, according to a news release from the Logan County sheriff's office.

Grant Milliron, owner of Milliron Industries, an auto- and scrap-metal recycling business in Mansfield, said the price of scrap copper has fluctuated with the economy and has slowly crept back after plummeting last year. At its high point in 2008, copper was selling for about $4 a pound, he said. That dropped to less than $1.50 last year until climbing back up to about $2.40 a pound now.

(Classic stupidity -- it drops to 1/2 of what it was worth a year ago and still people risk their lives)

Michalski said AEP is in the process of converting from copper grounding wire to a copper-clad steel wire that has little scrap value and is tougher to cut. She said the changeover will take years as the company is replacing the lines only as they make repairs or routine upgrades.

(Mike D -- OK, but they'll bring grinders now -- plenty of electricity exists to run them, unfortunately ...)

To report suspicious activity around AEP property, call local law enforcement or AEP's toll-free line at 1-866-747-5845.

jjarman@dispatch.com

Submitted on 05/20/2011

Submitted by: Mike Durthaler
Reference: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/06/30/two-deaths-spur-aep-to-warn-about

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Bruce said:
Definitely Keep: For Darwin's Eyes
And the list of crispy cooked copper crooks increased by another two. Thanks, Mike!

Candi said:
Definitely Keep: For Darwin's Eyes
Crispy cooks copping copper!

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