COPPER THIEVES PUT LIVES AT RISK

Waipa Networks is concerned that thieves are putting customers’ lives at risk. Thieves have been stealing the cable used to connect transformers with the earth.  Without an earth connection the metal parts of a faulty appliance may become ‘live’ and cause someone to receive an electric shock.   In some cases an electric shock can be fatal. The earth cables being stolen are mainly in rural areas, and are the cables that run down poles and into the earth where they connect our equipment with the earth through stakes driven deep into the ground.  If anyone notices any suspicious activity near our poles or transformers (eg an unmarked vehicle working on the equipment) please call us on 07 870 2000 (Te Awamutu) or 07 827 2000 (Cambridge).