By ANGELA LAWN
Parents have been warned to teach children about the dangers of playing near hundreds of street-level power boxes throughout the Auckland region.
The warning follows a discovery by The Aucklander newspaper that a Vector power company worker has misplaced keys to the boxes, which are transformers housing high-voltage electrical
switchgear.
Already a few of the green metal boxes have been found open in the Massey area of Waitakere City.
Neither police nor electrical authorities know who is unlocking the boxes and leaving the doors open.
Nor do they know why the person is doing this or where they will strike next.
Details were given in an interview with The Aucklander by Te Atatu Community Constable George Fenwick. He warns: "Someone could get seriously hurt or worse."
Sergeant Brian Louden, of Waitakere, says parents need to warn their children about the dangers of the power boxes.
"Children are just so inquisitive. It's frightening to think of kids walking home from school and being able to fiddle with the live wires."
He asks the public to contact police if they see any open transformers. "If you're lucky, you'll lose a hand. If you're unlucky, there'll be worse consequences."
Mr Louden says keys similar to the ones lost have been in use for 35-40 years and there are many of them in the area. The problem will not be easily fixed.
Energy Safety Service senior technical adviser Richard Davenport says an open transformer could be fatal.
The power in transformers ranges from 400 to 11,000 volts, usually in the same transformer but at different ends.
In the higher end of the transformer there is usually a screw as well as a padlock.
Mr Davenport warns a person could get a shock at the higher voltage end without touching anything.
United Network's manager of network control, Graham Petrie, says Vector has set up a system to alert police officers immediately if the company senses electrical equipment is being tampered with.
Vector Electricity, which bought United Networks a few months ago, serves large chunks of Auckland.
In Avondale it goes under the name of United Networks.
* If you find a transformer open or damaged, call United Networks on 0800 948 100, and choose 'Option One'.
- THE AUCKLANDER
