Police have busted a sophisticated copper-stealing ring which left innocent people at risk of electrocution when tens of thousands of dollars worth of the metal was taken from power poles across Waikato.
A group of at least seven people dressed in high-visibility clothing drove to different power poles every night to get the copper from earth cables.
They were skilled enough to know how to cut the cable straps without injuring themselves, Hamilton police area commander Inspector Greg Nicholls said.
"They would go out almost nightly to plunder the electricity networks."
However, police began closing in when power company WEL Networks discovered the extensive damage during routine checks.
