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New York State Police investigators in the Hudson Valley are seeking the public’s assistance in locating wanted suspects who have allegedly been stealing copper from Central Hudson substations in the region.
An alert was issued by state police investigators on Friday, Jan. 7 as they attempt to locate suspects who have been removing copper from multiple substations in northern Dutchess County.
Police said that the suspects are removing in-use copper ground wires which destabilize the electric substation.
“Not only is this dangerous to the suspects, but the repairs to ground wires are extremely dangerous and could lead to transformer explosions causing injury or death to workers as well as interruptions in service,” investigators noted.
In response to th thefts, Central Hudson has offered a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and prosecution of the suspects responsible for breaking into substations in Smithfield, Hibernia, and Stanfordville.
"Law enforcement officials are working closely with Central Hudson to identify the individual(s),” Ryan Hawthorne, Vice President of Electric Engineering and Operations for Central Hudson said in a statement. “Our primary concern in preventing the theft of copper and metals is to protect our employees and the public and maintain the safety of our facilities.
“There are hazards inherent when working with electricity which is why safety is always the top priority at Central Hudson,” Hawthorne added. “This is especially true at substations that are filled with sensitive equipment that is carrying electricity at high voltages. Only highly trained, certified personnel with the proper personal protective equipment should be in these areas.”
Anyone with information regarding the thefts has been asked to contact New York State Police in Dutchess County by calling (845) 677-7300.
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