Sarnia Police Service is asking for the public’s help identifying a man photographed inside a high-voltage electrical facility in the College Park area, an incident that has prompted renewed warnings about the dangers of trespassing on electrical infrastructure.
Officers were dispatched to the facility at 5:27 a.m. on July 29 after a report that someone was unlawfully on the property. When they arrived, police could not find anyone outside the facility but discovered a hole in the perimeter fence. A search of the property turned up no one on site, though officers later located a bicycle believed to be connected to the incident. Investigators were also given an image of a suspect who had been inside the facility.
Anyone with information about the individual pictured or the bicycle is asked to contact Sarnia Police at 519-344-8861, or to submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.p3tips.com.
Police say the incident is one of several recent reports of people unlawfully entering high-voltage electrical facilities in the area, with some suspects allegedly stealing or attempting to steal copper wire and electrical cables. Officers warn that such break-ins pose a serious risk to public safety, since the facilities contain energized equipment and high-voltage conductors that can cause serious injury or death on contact. Cutting or interfering with electrical cables can also generate powerful electrical arcs capable of reaching extreme temperatures, resulting in catastrophic or fatal injuries.
Beyond the danger to those involved, police note that damaging or stealing electrical infrastructure can trigger power outages affecting homes, businesses and essential services in the community. Anyone caught entering these facilities unlawfully will face criminal charges, and residents who notice suspicious activity in or around an electrical facility are urged to call 911 immediately.
