Would be thieves

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Besoeker

Besoeker

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Suspected cable thief suffers horrific burns in alleged botched attempt to strip copper from disused metering station
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Be warned that following article which appeared in a daily newspaper in UK are grizzly.
But maybe they could deter others from attempting to do the same. And maybe a warning to those of us in the field to make electrical premises more secure to prevent this kind of thing happening in the first place.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2175174/Suspected-cable-thief-suffers-horrific-burns-alleged-botched-attempt-strip-copper-disused-metering-station.html
 
Hate to wish bad fortune on anybody but they got what they deserved. They are damn

lucky to be alive. Post these pictures at the local scrap dealer to remind the low lifes of the

conquences.
 
iwire said:
Then let's not.
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I'm totally with you on that.
I came across the article in another forum where I'm a moderator. Similar sentiments were expressed there and I responded to that:

From the images of the hand and arm of the guys who apprehended, I'm inclined to think that the horrible burns they got came from arc flash rather than the electrocution. I'm pretty sure that they were not wearing mandatory PPE (gauntlets, goggles, flame proof overalls etc) while they were undertaking their nefarious activities. Ignorant, uninformed, possibly stupid and lazy, criminal intent without a doubt.

But was the "punishment" appropriate to the crime? Absolutely not, in my opinion. Certainly it is of their own making. They may be scarred for life both mentally and physically. As far as I can determine from the article, they broke in and entered. But the attempted theft was wasn't successful. They left with no loot. In other circumstances, if someone broke into your place of work and stole stuff and actually got caught red-handed even then they most certainly would not be sentenced to electrocution and burning.
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It was a horrific incident and we need to learn how to be better at preventing this kind of thing from happening. Taking a pop at petty criminals is not constructive.
 
Here is another that just happened a couple days ago not far from me.

Convicted wire thief dies slicing electric wires

It is sad that we are in an economy that there are many trying to survive any means at there disposal, but this one has done this before and it is unfortunate that this time was his last.

while the utility has placed anti climb guards on some poles they can't possibly install them on all poles.

I have had to repair many service where the wire was removed right out of the risers live, panels all burnt up from the cutting of the conductors and buss bars live, it does amaze me that many more are not being killed doing this as it is and has been a problem in certain areas west of me.
 
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hurk27 said:
It is sad that we are in an economy that there are many trying to survive any means at there disposal, but this one has done this before and it is unfortunate that this time was his last.
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It is sad. But most cases like this the person trying to survive is not trying to feed themselves or family, they are just looking for money for their next high, or are just plain criminals and will steal anything for any reason.

If POCO's would just put a bunch of drugs next to the power poles, substations, etc. they may not ever have any copper thefts:happyyes: Same for construction sites. You wouldn't even need to lock up your tools - just leave some drugs next to them.
 
I did not see the deleted image, if what I posted was out of line, I'm sorry. I have plenty of opinion on the situation brought up there, but it is true that very little of it belongs here.
 
Remember back ~ 20 yrs. ago the guys that were "rabbit" hunting and were killed? The news couldn't understand why they had no gun, but wire cutters to hunt "rabbits"? It was in the Ohio, Mich. area as the men were auto workers layed off.
 
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kwired said:
I have plenty of opinion on the situation brought up there, but it is true that very little of it belongs here.
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As I am sure we all do, but thank you for using restraint ....... I fully understand it is sometimes difficult to do so because topics drift and the next thing you know we are off the reservation. :)
 
sameguy said:
Remember back ~ 20 yrs. ago the guys that were "rabbit" hunting and were killed? The news couldn't understand why they had no gun, but wire cutters to hunt "rabbits"? It was in the Ohio, Mich. area as the men were auto workers layed off.
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I always wondered if calling scrap wire 'rabbit' was a local thing. We also call ratchet cutters 'rabbit cutters'.
 
These sort of threads seem to revel in grossing everyone out with ugly pictures. Sure, it gets your attention .... but such tactics have repeatedly been shown to have zero impact. They don't discourage anyone.

Kids are shown pictures of ugly smokers and toasted lungs - but we still get a crop of new smokers every year. Addicts pass around the dead liver in a jar at their meetings, then meet for a drink afterward. I think it's time to stop imitating failure.

Otherwise, close up boxes and secure sites as best you can. Let Darwin operate. Folks want to find sympathy, let them look in a dictionary.

I mean .... what part of "Keep Out" is so hard to understand?
 
renosteinke said:
These sort of threads seem to revel in grossing everyone out with ugly pictures. Sure, it gets your attention .... but such tactics have repeatedly been shown to have zero impact. They don't discourage anyone.

Kids are shown pictures of ugly smokers and toasted lungs - but we still get a crop of new smokers every year. Addicts pass around the dead liver in a jar at their meetings, then meet for a drink afterward. I think it's time to stop imitating failure.

Otherwise, close up boxes and secure sites as best you can. Let Darwin operate. Folks want to find sympathy, let them look in a dictionary.

I mean .... what part of "Keep Out" is so hard to understand?
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First of all people don't like to follow directions, it is just the way most of us are. If you say "don't look" to someone the only thing they can think about is looking. If you want to block a road, driveway, walkway, or any other path that is normal traffic route for pretty much any reason, you better make sure you use a good barracade and make sure there is no room to go around it, otherwise someone will come along, not even slow down and attempt to go around it. Happens almost every time you do something like that.
 
hurk27 said:
Here is another that just happened a couple days ago not far from me.

Convicted wire thief dies slicing electric wires

....
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From this article:
Detectives were called to the scene Friday before officials determined Roy’s death was accidental, caused by his exposure to electricity.
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Wait, I'VE been "exposed" to electricity!

I'm beginning to wonder if we as a society are not doing anyone any favors by "protecting" each other from distasteful imagery and words. To my mind it only serves to lessen the feeling of risk in the would-be perpetrators. Exposing people to what it REALLY means and describing things as the REALLY are is more likely to elicit an avoidance response. I can't tell you how many times I've heard non-electricians make statements like "Oh, 120V can't really hurt you" or "If you aren't standing in a puddle of water, you can cut wires without getting shocked". Crap like that is I think one reason why so many of these idiots get hurt, they have been "shielded" from seeing what REALLY happens...
 
Jraef said:
From this article:

Wait, I'VE been "exposed" to electricity!

I'm beginning to wonder if we as a society are not doing anyone any favors by "protecting" each other from distasteful imagery and words. To my mind it only serves to lessen the feeling of risk in the would-be perpetrators. Exposing people to what it REALLY means and describing things as the REALLY are is more likely to elicit an avoidance response. I can't tell you how many times I've heard non-electricians make statements like "Oh, 120V can't really hurt you" or "If you aren't standing in a puddle of water, you can cut wires without getting shocked". Crap like that is I think one reason why so many of these idiots get hurt, they have been "shielded" from seeing what REALLY happens...
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But what really happens is on utube, and other places, but there are also so many other things that are out there that make things that are really dangerous look likethey are really cool and fun, that is what I find to be pretty pathetic, we all get entertainment out of someone else's pain and agony and they may not even realize how close to death they may have come with their stunt.
 
sameguy said:
Remember back ~ 20 yrs. ago the guys that were "rabbit" hunting and were killed? The news couldn't understand why they had no gun, but wire cutters to hunt "rabbits"? It was in the Ohio, Mich. area as the men were auto workers layed off.
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We have "bunny cutters" on the truck for cutting large wires. Ignorant reporters may have made an association from something like that ...

Could have been a deviation of "Bundy" cutters from one time <shrug> ... :blink:
 
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