It may not be an EMP/CME or even an EIEIO It could be metal thieves. No joke. CLEVELAND-- FirstEnergy is offering a $5,000 in hopes of tracking down the person who stole overhead wire and other electrical equipment in the Cleveland area. The suspects may be dressed as utility workers with hard hats and reflective vests, the company said in a news release on Monday. They even go door to door to tell residents about a power outage to stop customers from reporting problems to the Illuminating Company. That gives the thieves more time to the steal the wire. "The individuals are creating a safety and service reliability issue by cutting energized wires and letting them drop to the ground," the company said. FirstEnergy is working with the Cleveland Division of Police on its investigating into the thefts. Anyone with information is asked to call the FirstEnergy Tip Line at 866-487-2743 or Cuyahoga County Crime Stoppers at 216-252-7463. Tips can remain anonymous, and reward money is available for the successful arrest and prosecution. To report downed wires, call 888-544-4877 immediately. To my way of thinking, pretty damn brazen. And still not caught.
First Energy offered like 10k for information when someone flushed M80s down the toilets in the executive washroom. Priorities...
When I retired and moved back to Portland, there was an old Bimart in Gresham that was long closed down and abandoned. The site was secure with heavy chain link fence and locked with heavy locks! One night I was out visiting friends and we stopped in at the local watering hole to get a few beers and drink, fart, and tell lies. We walked out to the parking lot and low and behold some guys in a big Dodge Diesel 4X4 had backed through the fence and were in the process of dragging all the electrical cable out of the building with a tow chain! We called the cops and they came in a hurry and busted them big time! The value of the copper wire was something like 20k at that time!!!! I don't know what they got sentenced with, but they got linked to a large number of thefts over several months! The D.A. said the total theft value was close to a million bucks plus damages to structures! These guys were steeling Aluminum lift gate platforms off of big trucks and trailers, and swiping the aluminum rims as well!!! Funny thing was, the city had put out a reward for capture, but we didn't get shit from them!!!!! Azzholes, just a thanks, we will take it from here, Oh by the way, we need you to show up for the grand jury and we will pay you .30 cents a hour and $5 bucks for the day to come testify! Cost me $ 30 bucks in gas round trip!
This thread reminds me of when I was living in Mambaling, Cebu City, about 2008? One evening, we (the residents of a small apartment building) were just hanging out in our respective apartments, when the power went out. At first, we thought it was a power cut, until we noticed everyone else around who had power. Apparently, some guys in a truck came by, threw a rope over the transformer end of the service drop - again, while connected, tied the other end to the truck, and drove off. This snatched the service drop from the building and pole, dragging it down the street. That was the first and only time that ever happened to me. But, boy am I glad I had a 7,500 watts generator. We had no power for several days. (Things don't always move quite as quickly in SEA, as they do in the west.) The power company finally showed up and installed another service drop to the building.
I see this stuff all the time...sucks when we have to come and rebuild the electrical system for a building. There are lots of dangers in fixing gear that has been messed with. I saw a panel arc flash once when we finally re- energized it. A piece of copper had slipped down into the bussing when they stripped the wire out of the panel. Electrician missed the small piece....and it caused about a five foot flash... Spooky when you are standing a few feet away.
thieves in our area are bad to steal wire from irrigation systems... not too long ago, a couple got fried! crispy critters. burnt... they deserved it...
Karma is a five letter word.... CLEVELAND - Three teens are in custody after a shootout with Cleveland police early Friday. An 18-year-old was shot in the shoulder during the exchange of gunfire. Police responded to FirstEnergy service center at 4295 East 146th Street around 1:30 a.m. for a report of trespassers. When officers arrived, they encountered four males allegedly stealing scrap metal. As officers approached them, the suspects took off, police said. As the teens were running, one of the suspects turned around and fired at officers. Both officers returned fire. An 18-year-old was shot in the shoulder. He was taken to University Hospitals for treatment.
To my way of thinking, pretty damn stupid if they're cutting live wires. But hey, that's what Darwin awards are for.
We saw a Couple dudes in A-Stan get fried by a big jolt! They set an IED next to the road and then hid off to the side to wait for a U.S. Mil patrol to show so they could pick which one to hit, Dumb asses set it off all right, and the blast took down the wires next to the road, Right on top of them! Extra crispy critters, even the small arms were melted into the motor bike they had!
Friday I repaired an encloser that was broken into. Inside I found a metal broom about 3 feet near instant death. No signs of a flash or any skin present. Life goes on.
(my first time trying to quote someone... I hope this works! ) from dkr's post... I've got a question that is a little off topic... I wonder who paid for the medical care for the shoulder repair on the pos that shot at police. dag nabbit (Georgia phrase used to replace the word for a section of a lake that holds back water) seems to me that the pos should be propped up in handcuffs in a corner till his precious mommy can bring the 10,000 downpayment on his medical treatment. and if he bleeds out, cause mommy has got to go steal enough stuff to raise the money for the 10k, then look what a savings that will be to the criminal justice system... surely, he will be charged with attempted murder of a cop.