Copper theft at Duke Energy substations in Wayne County
by Mark Cowan
The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office is investigating copper theft from two Duke Energy power substations on Hare Road and Thoroughfare Road, Wayne County putting substation safety at risk.
These thefts happened some time in the past month, according to sheriff’s office reports. The employees who reported the incidents told deputies nobody had been on the power substation sites within the last month.
In the first incident at 523 Hare Road, the Duke Energy employee who reported the theft said around 300 feet of copper wire was taken. That much copper is valued at around $1,000, the report said.
The employee told deputies copper wire thefts have been happening many times per week in other power substation locations, including in Raleigh, the report said.
According to the report, the substation on Hare Road sustained no major damage.
But that was not the case in the second copper wire theft, reported at 3292 Thoroughfare Road.
That substation sustained approximately $4,000 to $5,000 worth of damage because of the copper wire theft, the report said.
The Duke Energy employee who reported the theft said about 100 feet of copper wire was taken from the Thoroughfare Road substation, the report said.
There are no suspects in either incident, the reports said.
Anyone with information about this crime, or any other crime in Wayne County is asked to call or text Crime Stoppers at 919-735-2255, or submit information at tipsubmit.com. Callers can remain anonymous and information leading to a felony arrest will be eligible for a cash reward.
March 9, 2017
