CHB Police: Stolen earth wires could lead to tragedy

A stolen Mazda Demio was pursued and then abandoned, while a second Demio was stolen and returned to its Waipukurau address.

Central Hawke’s Bay police and Centralines are warning of the dangers of interfering with power supply infrastructure, after earth wires were cut and stolen from five power poles along State Highway 50.

A Centralines spokesperson said the copper earth wires were a safety device and removing them put any households or businesses on that circuit at risk, compromising their fusing systems.

“Not to mention the risk to the person cutting the line. There are also live wires running up these poles. For the minimal scrap value of the wire, it’s not worth risking a life.

“Centralines replaced the wires as soon as we were advised of the theft, and we would encourage anyone seeing suspicious activity or missing wires to phone the police. This isn’t something we usually have a problem with in Central Hawke’s Bay but Unison has had ongoing problems in Napier and Hastings.

“We are working on a solution to deter people from taking wiring. It’s not something we are taking lightly.”

Police also had a report of a prowler in the backyard of a house in Willow Grove Waipukurau about 4.30am on September 14, which follows a report a fortnight ago of a man sighted in a backyard in Winlove Cres in the early hours of the morning. Police are urging residents to be vigilant about locking sheds and vehicles.

A Mazda Demio stolen from an address in Jellico St Waipukurau on September 15 was mysteriously returned to within a metres of its parking space, after being driven to Waipawa and back, while another Mazda Demio stolen the previous weekend from Svenson Rd was located by police and involved in a pursuit, before being recovered abandoned in Freyberg Tce.

Police are seeking witnesses or information after excavators being used in a cleanup at Lindsay Bush in Waipukurau were broken into, with aerials stolen and panels pried open. Police are also looking for thieves who broke into tractors on Speedy Rd, Takapau, and siphoned 200 litres of diesel and stole spotlights.

Police are also following leads relating to two break-ins at the Clock Shop on High St Waipawa, and would like to hear from anyone with information or who has been offered G-Shock watches.

Information can be passed on through the police non-emergency line, phone 105, or anonymously via Crimestoppers-nz.org phone 0800 555 111