Copper thieves stealing utility pole wires

By Bernard Baker

Published: October 2, 2008

Copper thieves in the Danville area are taking a new approach to stealing the precious metal.

City officials report that insulated copper wires used for grounding utility poles are now being stolen.

“We have had sporadic incidents of copper ground wire thefts on parts of our system …,” said Kevin Martin, key accounts manager for Danville Utilities. “As we learn about them, we work to repair them quickly. We do urge extreme caution when dealing with ground wires. Serious injury and death can occur.”

Lt. Mike Mondul, spokesman for the Danville Police Department, said he would not be surprised if thieves are stealing the insulated copper wires.

“Copper theft seems to be the hot thing,” he said.

Mondul, however, said he didn’t know of any specific incidents when initially contacted Tuesday.

Mondul said later that the damage caused by the theft of copper from the poles is valued at under $10, with the theft posing more of a danger than an actual loss.

John Drengenberg, consumer affairs manager and an electrical engineer with United Laboratories, said stealing copper from utility poles is a dangerous way to get $5.

“It’s not very smart,” he said. “Several things can go wrong.”

Cutting the ground wire takes away a safety feature that prevents electricity or lightning from hurting people or from entering a home and destroying what’s inside, Drengenberg said. The ground wire carries lightning or a rush of electricity to the ground.

“Unless someone is paying close attention, a ground wire could be cut and no one would know about it,” Drengenberg said. “This is something somebody could not notice for years and years.”

Utility crews are doing their do diligence and protecting customers when they find these lines cut and make repairs, he said.

The danger in clipping a ground wire is getting killed. The higher the thieves cut the wire, the more likely they will come in contact with electricity.

“You don’t have to touch it,” Drengenberg said. “It can arch to you from the wire.”

The risk of death increases on a rainy, damp or misty day.

“If your skin is damp, resistance to electricity is reduced greatly,” he said. “If your skin is saturated in water, there’s a direct path to conduct electricity to your heart and you’ll die unless you get help.”

Contact Bernard Baker at or (434) 791-7986.