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This complex work site takes several weeks to prepare — building concrete plinths and vaults, trenching, installing transformers, laying network cabling, fitting termination kits and other equipment — so it cannot be prepped and completed within a single outage day. That means sites are often left behind security fencing overnight. In the foreground of the photo, a cut aluminium cable (with little scrap value) can be seen protruding from the ground, where it had been connected to the transformer; and additional cabling and termination kits were also stolen from other trenches. Cutting into any buried cable can result in instant death — you cannot tell whether a cable is live just by looking at it. Thieves are putting their lives at risk for very little return.

Electricity network theft: a deadly crime with real consequences

24 March 2026

The Lines Company (TLC) is warning the public that theft and tampering with electricity network equipment is not just a property crime. It is an extremely dangerous act that can kill, put households at risk and disrupt planned work programmes across our network.

TLC’s General Manager Service Delivery Jared Murrell says the consequences can be severe and immediate.

“Theft of our network equipment is not victimless. Damage left behind can put our crews and the public at risk long after the thieves have gone,” says Murrell. “But the most serious consequence is that electricity can kill. Someone cutting into the wrong cable can be killed on the spot.”

Murrell says the theft of earth connections is especially dangerous because it can create hazardous electrical conditions in connected homes. “When earthing is compromised, appliances and metal surfaces that should be safe can become live, and electrical faults may not clear the way they are designed to. That increases the risk of electrical fires and electric shock to unsuspecting people in homes.”

He says too that customers feel the impact when planned works must be delayed at short notice.

“The growing number of incidents is putting pressure on our resources and costing our community a lot in replacement and operational time,” said Murrell. “Our customers – people and businesses, prepare for planned outages. When our teams arrive on site and find cables or equipment stolen, we often can’t safely proceed. That means we have to reshuffle crews, rebook outages and, in some cases, delay other planned work.”

Murrell explains that in one case, theft at a single site forced us to reschedule the initial job and six subsequent jobs because they couldn’t be done until that first job was finished.

“This domino flow-on effect caused disruption to 456 customers, said Murrell. “It’s very frustrating for our teams when they get to site to do a job and find they can’t proceed; and extremely frustrating for customers who prepare for a planned outage only to have the day change, on the day, because some of our equipment has been stolen.”

Two thefts at the same site in a single week left TLC facing significant duplicate labour and rework costs—far outweighing anything the stolen, electricity-sector-specific equipment could be sold for.

“That’s money we would much rather be investing into strengthening and upgrading the network to keep our customers connected,” says Murrell.

In the past six months, TLC has reported nine incidents of criminal activity to Police for follow up. Most incidents are aluminium wire which has very little scrap value, and other equipment, from work sites, our depots and vehicles.

TLC is asking anyone who sees suspicious activity around power poles, open trenches, substations, cabling or work sites to report it to Police immediately. Keep well clear of any downed lines or damaged equipment and always treat electrical equipment as live — do not touch it.

For more information contact

[email protected]