Advertisement

Man arrested for stealing copper from Hydro One transformer stations

Hydro One workers walk down the stairs of the Manby transformer station in Etobicoke on July 17, 2013.
Hydro One workers walk down the stairs of the Manby transformer station in Etobicoke on July 17, 2013. Andrew Francis Wallace/Toronto Star via Getty Images

TORONTO – Police have arrested a Toronto man for stealing copper wires from several Hydro One transformer stations.

Garry Harold Matchim, 31, has been charged with seven counts of break-and-enter and seven counts of possession of break-in instruments after he allegedly broke into a number of Hydro One compounds on Aug. 27.

Police say the accused gained entry into the area by cutting holes in the fencing around the buildings and removed a quantity of copper wire causing extensive damage to the transformers.

Matchim is scheduled to appear in court Aug. 28.

Police are reminding the public that serious injury or death can occur if anyone enters transformer stations.

Hydro One is currently taking steps to eliminate pure copper wires from its stations and replacing them with a copper and steel composite blends.

Story continues below advertisement

“Signage will be posted at stations alerting would be thieves that this alternative to pure copper has no scrap metal value,” said Hydro One in a media release.

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Officials say approximately $2 million worth of copper is stolen from Hydro One annually.

“By making changes to the way we operate we can deter metal theft,” said Ron Gentle, Chief Security Officer, Hydro One in a media release. “We want to ensure Ontarians can continue to safely rely on electricity to power their homes, businesses and communities every day.

Hydro One has also partnered with the Ontario Provincial Police and other law enforcement organizations to work on a strategy to deter, report, investigate and prosecute incidents of metal theft.

“We also applaud the initiatives aimed at ensuring its assets are less attractive to the criminal element in the future, thereby enhancing public and officer safety,” said Deputy Commissioner Scott Tod, Provincial Commander – OPP Investigations and Organized Crime.

Story continues below advertisement

Since 2010, the Canadian Electricity Association says eight people have lost their lives due to copper thefts and the cost to the electricity sector is estimated at $40 million each year.

 

Sponsored content

AdChoices