Man Electrocuted While Trying to Steal Copper from Electrical Equipment in Indiana

By Mary Mitchell

Published on September 28, 2006

A spokesman from Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) expressed his surprise that the 20-year-old victim was not killed in his attempt to steal the copper. South Bend police stated that the victim had entered a manhole on land owned by South Bend Lathe Property, where he was working for a business renting space there. A witness described seeing an electrical discharge, smoke, and debris coming out of the manhole; he went to the manhole and saw the injured man at its bottom. A local hospital received the victim as an emergency patient. His condition is not yet known.

The I&M spokesman said that copper theft is a growing problem. The high price of copper has tempted several people to attempt to steal copper wire and other parts from electrical equipment, but there have been at least five electrocution deaths linked to such theft attempts in the United States.

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