Copper cable thieves dicing with death

Dec 11 2009 Irvine Herald

THIEVES digging for copper cable at a Stevenston explosives factory are dicing with death, police warned this week.

Cops say crooks run the risk of a 11,000 volt electric shock each time a spade is sunk into the earth at Chemring – because the site is littered with live wires.

One man was badly burned in October after allegedly attempting to steal cable from the ring-fenced compound.

Cops say there have been a spate of thefts since.

PC Alan Hill of Irvine police said: “If this doesn’t stop it will only be a matter of time until someone is seriously injured or killed.

“The cables at the site are not marked so you simply cannot tell a live wire or a redundant one apart.

“It’s absolutely crazy – people are risking their lives for a piece of cable with a sale on value of £40.”

Information on the thefts to Irvine police on 01294 404400.