Police cameras going into Maritime Electric substations to curb copper thefts

Maritime Electric is working with Charlottetown Police Services to install surveillance cameras at electrical substations in a bid to stop people from stealing copper wiring with the intention of selling it.

The company's CEO, Jason Roberts, said E-Watch cameras are being installed at some of the utility's higher-risk sites.

Maritime Electric has seen a noticeable rise in vandalism and copper theft in recent years, Roberts said. The utility has recorded nearly 61 incidents since 2022, including six already this year.

And these are not just ordinary property crimes; they're potentially fatal because people risk getting electrocuted and dying on the site trying to engage in this activity, he said.

"If you think about your home, there's 240 volts that goes into your home. These substations can have voltages anywhere from 12,000 to 138,000 volts. So it is a high-risk situation," Roberts told CBC News.

"When we go to these substations and vandalism has occurred, and copper thefts occurred and we don't know about it, then our employees that are entering the site are immediately at risk, and they risk getting electrocuted as well."

Roberts also pointed out that the value of the stolen copper is relatively small and not worth the danger it creates for both the perpetrators and Maritime Electric staff.

He added that copper theft can force the utility to take a substation offline, causing power outages for customers.

'This is really going to help'

Roberts said Maritime Electric has already put several security measures in place, including chain-link fences, increased lighting, warning signs and the company's own surveillance cameras focused on certain parts of the substations.

But catching the people responsible has been difficult, he said.

"With these E-Watch cameras, we're hopeful that not only do we see the people that are going into the substation causing the damage, but when they leave, these cameras are able to identify the direction that they're going, maybe the vehicle that they're in, the licence plate that's on it," he said. 

"This is really going to help, not only in the investigation, but the apprehension and prosecution of these individuals."

Roberts also urged Islanders to report to police any suspicious activity near electrical substations, especially if they see vehicles or people who don't appear to be Maritime Electric crews.