Unfortunately, this practice is becoming commonplace all over the US. The utility where I'm presently employed was hit only a week or so ago. Theives cut a chain link fence and entered a 161 to 69 KV substation and cut many 4/0 copper cables used for grounding steel substation fixtures. A grounding transformer bond was also cut. Substations can be some of the most dangerous places on earth if you don't realize what you are messing with. It probably won't be too much longer before news of some toasted individuals will make the 10 o'clock news. What the survivors of these acts aren't aware of is that crimes of this sort will most likely be prosecuted under some of the new anti-terrorist laws and this "stunt" is going to wind up costing them a fair amount of time in a federal penetentiary. Personally, I'd hate to think that I was going to have to be "Bubba's girlfriend" for the next 15 years just for 20 pounds of scrap copper........
