October 17, 2018
Ontario

Wind turbine substations targeted for copper wire theft in Huron County

By Jonathan Zettel | Walkerton Herald-Times | www.southwesternontario.ca

HURON COUNTY, ON—A total of nine thefts over two months have police urging the public to take note and be aware of suspicious activity.

Thieves have been targeting hydro / wind turbine substations to steal copper wiring in Bluewater and Huron East. Six cases have been investigated in Bluewater and three cases in Huron East.

In some instances, the thieves stole about 40 feet of copper wire which has a street value of $100. In other cases thieves made off with more than 1,000 feet of copper wire.

Police note the damage to the stations far outweighs the value of the product stolen. The costs of repairing, replacing equipment, service disruptions, customer compensation and loss of revenue can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars.

One case saw $10,000 worth of product stolen and about 40 wind turbines shut down for a period of time. The estimated damage to the facilities caused an estimated $500,000.

Police warn the damage from a copper wire theft can also create an unsafe environment. The removal of live copper wire used to ground electricity can pose serious safety threats to first responders, hydro employees and the culprits. Individuals are exposed to the risk of electric shock, fire, explosion, injury and death.

The vast majority of reported copper wire thefts have taken place overnight during the early morning hours. As such investigators are encouraging the public to be on the lookout for suspicious activity around hydro substations and wind turbine sites. Should you see suspicious activity around these sites please record as much information as possible and contact police.

9-1-1 can be used for crimes in progress and emergency situations. Non-emergent information can be relayed to Huron OPP by calling 1-888-310-1122 or (519) 524-8314.

Alternatively, should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2018/10/17/wind-turbine-substations-targeted-for-copper-wire-theft-in-huron-county/