Turn the power off before you steal copper wire!!!

[TXCharlie]

Suspected Copper Thief Electrocuted, Police Say

POSTED: 5:18 pm CDT May 26, 2007

FORT WORTH, Texas -- A man suspected of stealing copper is dead after he was electrocuted outside a retirement home, NBC 5 reported.

Police said Michael Priddy, of Burleson, was cutting the power lines to steal the copper wiring Friday night at the Forest Hill Retirement Center when it happened.


He later died at the hospital.

OK, you think that's the only guy that stupid? Guess again:

Google search for copper police electrocuted:

Canadian man trying to steal copper electrocuted
Bangor Daily News, ME - May 23, 2007
"We were called just before midnight on Saturday evening," Sgt. Greg MacAvoy of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said Tuesday. "Two males cut through the ...
Rising copper prices spark dangerous thefts at OUC
Orlando Sentinel, FL - May 24, 2007
In late March, two men were electrocuted while trying to cut through high-voltage wires in Tyngsboro, Mass. Police said the men were most likely trying to ...
Police, fire and courts
Peoria Journal Star, IL - May 23, 2007
It was unclear why Green was climbing the building but police said during his ascent he was electrocuted and then fell to the pavement. ...
Copper thefts lead to 3 arrests
Rock Hill Herald, SC - May 18, 2007
But the crime can turn dangerous: A Greenville man was electrocuted last summer as police say he tried to swipe copper from a Duke Energy substation. ...
On the black market, copper sells like gold
Boston Globe, MA - May 17, 2007
Copper has even become a specialty among some thieves, said Wayne Sampson, executive director of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association. ...
Metal now really 'hot' commodity
Attleboro Sun Chronicle, MA - May 19, 2007
But now that commodity prices for such metals as copper, stainless steel and aluminum are reaching new heights, police say less glittery items such as ...
Copper thief nabbed
Medford Transcript, MA - May 2, 2007
After copper downspouts were stolen from St. Athanasius the Great Greek Orthodox Church last Friday, Arlington Police crossed one more off the list. ...
Young copper thief just won't learn
Independent Online, South Africa - May 19, 2007
A 16-year old youth who was almost electrocuted four months ago while breaking into a Cape Town substation, has again been hurt while pulling off a similar ...
Theft of copper surges: Utilities say stolen wires have led to outages
DetNews.com, MI - May 15, 2007
Call (313) 235-9119 for Detroit Edison security or report incidents to the Detroit Police Department. Report the theft of copper wire from AT&T facilities ...
TCopper wire theft incidents costly and dangerous
Range News, AZ - May 15, 2007
Twenty people have been electrocuted nationwide since January 2006 while trying to steal copper, said Earl Wobensmith, safety coordinator for the Sulphur ...

Copper Price Has Thieves Performing High Wire Act
CBS 11, TX - May 8, 2007
The high price of copper has criminals doing a high wire act. If they cut the wrong wire, they could be electrocuted. They're hitting telephone polls and ...
Kill for Copper
KAIT, AR - Apr 30, 2007
He stepped out of the truck and was immediately electrocuted," says Sheriff Langston. Arriving at the scene, bystanders and police quickly realized he was ...
Copper thefts perplex Chester Co. authorities
Rock Hill Herald, SC - Apr 28, 2007
A Greenville man was electrocuted last summer as police say he tried to swipe copper from a Duke Energy substation. The thefts have long been a problem at ...
Scrap dealer closed after RCMP sting
Vancouver Sun (subscription), Canada - May 10, 2007
Last year, two people were electrocuted to death and 120 boxes, mostly for hydro, were broken into. Street and traffic lights, 911 phone service and ...
Copper Stolen from City Streetlights
KKTV 11 News, CO - May 8, 2007
"We've seen news releases of thieves being electrocuted to death," Hodges said. Nearly a mile of Powers will be dark from sundown to sunrise as crews work ...

Joy OnlineMan electrocuted in Winneba
Joy Online, Ghana - Apr 28, 2007
According to Mr. Nicholas Gasu, Deputy Superintendent of police in-charge of Winneba, some neighbours of the area claimed that when they woke up at about ...
Thieves Still Targeting Copper Wire Despite Electrocution
Springdale Morning News, AR - May 4, 2007
MARMADUKE -- Authorities say people are still trying to steal copper in northeast Arkansas, even after a man was electrocuted Monday while trying to take ...
Hydro lost millions from theft, damage last year
Global National, Canada - May 5, 2007
The thief then crawled inside the two-metre-long by one-metre-wide junction box and tried to remove copper wire when he was electrocuted.
Cities get down to the wire
The Leader, Canada - May 4, 2007
... electrocuted or caught by police, while the latter has proven hard to catch. In all cases, the motivation is the rising price of metals such as copper. ...

[JLK]

e got a bad problem with that here keep waiting for someone to get fried.

[conalabu]

We had a guy down here that was pulling down poles in remote areas to get the wire. He finally oopsed and brought one down on his wee pumpkin.