Watch Out Edmonton Transmitter Sites!

[jon]

A decade ago, the talk was all about Vancouver transmitter sites being targeted by copper thieves. This article has me thinking that history could soon repeat itself, though this time in Edmonton.

Copper thieves may have been burned during theft from electrical substation
By Andrea Sands, Edmonton Journal
August 1, 2013 3:03 PM

EDMONTON - Thieves who have been stealing copper wire from electricity substations around Edmonton might have been burned by an electrical arc during a recent break-in, police and AltaLink say.

Edmonton RCMP and city police officers are investigating eleven break-ins over three months to electricity substations around Edmonton, police and AltaLink said in a news release. Thieves have cut the fence to get into each substation then stolen copper wire off buildings, equipment and structures.

“We’re looking for tips from the public to let us know if they see suspicious vehicles or people in the area at odd times, vehicles that are not related to AltaLink,” said RCMP Const. Chris Smith, who is investigating some of the break-ins.

Evidence of an electrical arc after a theft from the Acheson substation about a month ago could mean a person was injured, Smith said.

“Someone may have electrical burns, possibly to their hands.”

Thieves sell the copper to metal recyclers to make a quick buck, Smith said. Copper thefts tend to increase when the price per pound of copper goes up, he added.

“It’s hard (for metal recyclers) to identify legitimate copper because it all looks the same. There’s no legislation in place that they have to record who brought it in, names, phone numbers,” Smith said.

AltaLink representatives and RCMP met Thursday morning at the Acheson substation, on Highway 628 one kilometre west of Highway 60, to speak with media and film a Crime Stoppers re-enactment that will be aired this fall.

Thieves could be seriously injured or killed during the break-ins that threaten the safety of AltaLink staff, emergency responders and the public and could affect electricity service, Smith said.

“If the copper ground wires are cut, then the substation itself could be energized — the ground — so you could walk into a potentially life threatening situation. Power outages and reliability of the electric grid is all part of that,” Smith said.

“From the RCMP point of view, if we respond to the scene we could be putting our members at risk by going into that substation, or first responders such as ambulance and fire, if somebody was hurt.”

[TRENT310]

Had that happen to a few sites I look after. I file police reports and such but usually there isn't enough information to lead to anything.
Just chalk it up to cost of doing business and pull in new 2 AWG.

Ground wire is easiest to steal because people know it's not normally current carrying and it snakes around to bond everything.