THOUSANDS of homes were left without power after thieves tried to steal electricity cables.

Police say the offenders would have suffered flash burns when they tried to break into premises in Dock Road, Connah’s Quay and cut through a cable which supplied 2,500 homes. They also tried to steal cable from a pole substation in the area.

The incident happened at about 7.40pm on Sunday and the properties were reconnected within an hour. The thieves did not get away with any cable.

A ScottishPower spokesperson said:  “The attempted theft was incredibly dangerous. These cables were live, carrying thousands of volts of electricity.

“This resulted in supplies to 2500 customers  being interrupted for an hour.  These criminals showed a staggering disregard for their own safety, the safety of the public, and that of our employees.

 “It is quite simply beggars belief that anyone would put their life on the line by interfering with thousands of volts of electricity to steal small amounts of cable with a minimal scrap value. It is incredibly fortunate that nobody was seriously hurt.

 “We will continue to work closely with the police to help catch those involved with the thefts, and those who buy and sell the stolen copper.”

 Inspector Ceri Hawes said: “If you know of anyone who has sustained suspicious burns, contact police.”

Last November, thieves in Shotton risked their lives and disrupted rail services to steal cable worth just £15. Cable and metal thefts have cost Network Rail £43m over the past three years. 

Last December, a law was brought in banning scrapyards from buying metal for cash. Amendments to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act (Laspo) closed the loopholes that allowed criminals to make money from the theft of metal.

Under the legal change, all cash transactions for metal at recycling yards in England and Wales are outlawed, removing the “cash-in-hand, no questions asked” culture. The upper limit on fines were also removed for scrap metal dealers breaking the law.