8:40am Wednesday 22nd June 2011
By James Rush
Hundreds of homes were left without power for up to 14 hours and dozens of appliances blew up in nearby homes after “mindless and despicable” thieves stole £1,000 of copper from an electrical substation.
Nearly 300 properties were left without electricity after thieves broke into the substation at the junction of Pyenot Drive and Pyenot Avenue, in Cleckeaton.
And a number of electrical appliances in the area either blew up or caught fire following a power surge as a result.
CE Electric UK said theives had broken in through a door on Sunday.
Rachel Thorndike, 36, of Fairfield Terrace, was woken by her burglar alarm at about 6.45am, but thought nothing more of it until she saw two fire engines at a nearby health centre.
She was without electricity until 9pm and spoke to neighbours who had electrical appliances which had blown up because of the power surge.
She said: “We were just walking around the streets and loads of people said how their Sky televisions had all caught on fire. Anything that was left on standby, the surge must have damaged. One of my next door neighbours’ electric meter was on fire. It was absolute carnage.
“Lots of peoples’ lights had gone and washing machines and boilers in particularly.”
Cleckheaton Councillor Kath Pinnock, leader of Kirklees Council’s Liberal Democrat group, said metal thefts in the area were getting out of hand.
She said: “It’s another mindless and despicable act by thieves who only have in mind how to make a few quid, when they are putting other peoples’ lives at risk.”
Councillor Pinnock said she had been speaking to staff and residents at sheltered accommodation Sykefold Grange, who had been affected by the power cut. She said: “It’s awful, it is putting peoples’ lives at risk for the sake of making some money.”
Anyone with information about the theft can contact police on 0845 6060606.
Anyone affected can contact CE Electric UK’s 24-hour helpine on 0800 375 675.
© Copyright 2001-2013 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/trade_directory/