Friday, August 24, 2007

Crime and incompetence

I had to make an unscheduled trip up the coast yesterday. We have property in Te Horo and a local farmer runs stock on it. He had rung to say the power had been cut, the electric fences were inoperative and his cows were were becoming difficult to control. After two days of tedious to-ing and fro-ing with the power company (they wouldn't deal with me as David's name is on the account) we were finally able to establish that power lines had been vandalised all along a stretch of road. Thieves steal the earth wire from those power poles which hold transformers. Why? For the copper. In the process of risking their lives they make around $10-12 per pole but cause apparently $10,000 worth of damage. An insight into the criminal mind.

Our power had not been reconnected because to do so risks a power surge which could have damaged appliances in the house also on the property but unoccupied. Somebody had to be present before the reconnection could take place. Fair enough but wouldn't you think the power company would have contacted us as the account holders. No. They just disconnected the power and left a note on the gate (despite many properties having absentee landlords). Not a thought for what they might have been cutting power to or the repercussions. Sounds vaguely familiar.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Have you told them about your respirator yet?

You could make a quick $10G

Cactus Kate said...

I think they use the copper for "P" labs now. It's the new in crime as the price has gone up. Everywhere hot water heaters are in danger and pipes in old houses.

Lindsay Mitchell said...

Interesting that as society has regulated more and more to take away or reduce legitimate risk people have sought more of the criminal kind. Wonder if there is a connection?