GAHANNA, Ohio, June 28, 2010 – Vandalism and theft of equipment from AEP Ohio electric substations and distribution facilities cause power outages for thousands of AEP Ohio customers each year. 

Such thefts and attempted thefts also can be deadly – as evidenced by the Sunday, June 27, discovery of the body of a Frankfurt, Ohio, man outside a non-AEP company substation in Ross County. News media reports indicate the man’s death is believed to have been caused by the attempted theft of copper wiring from a South Central Power Company substation.

On June 6, the badly burned body of a 37-year-old Logan County, W.Va., man was found near an AEP Appalachian Power Company pole. The man apparently was electrocuted trying to remove copper grounding cable.

AEP Ohio officials remain concerned that copper theft from electrical facilities continues in spite of recent reports of deaths associated with these thefts. Company leaders urge customers and the public to report any suspicious activity near electrical facilities to local law enforcement officials.

“These deaths are very sad incidents that did not have to happen,” says Ed Mowrer, AEP Ohio vice president distribution region operations. “These incidents create serious safety hazards not only for the would-be thieves but for our employees and the public. Copper theft also causes service reliability issues for us and our customers. We can’t emphasize enough the dangers and consequences of this activity and the importance of apprehending and prosecuting these individuals.”

Theft of copper from electric facilities is not a new problem. It happens repeatedly year after year, generally increasing through the spring and early summer and again as the holidays approach. In continuing efforts to raise public awareness, AEP Ohio has taken numerous steps to curb these thefts, including using broadcast and print media and billboards to communicate information about copper theft. In recorded telephone messages to customers in areas hit by copper thefts, AEP Ohio asks customers to report any suspicious activity near substations, power lines and other electrical equipment to AEP Ohio’s security hotline at 866-747-5845 or to 911. The telephone message informs customers AEP Ohio offers up to a $5,000 reward to anyone who provides information resulting in an arrest and conviction for theft and vandalism at AEP Ohio facilities.
 
In addition, AEP Ohio began installing copper-clad wire in its facilities late in 2008.  Copper-clad wire has a steel core, no scrap dollar value and is difficult to cut. Additional information about copper theft can be found at aepohio.com. To view a video about the consequences of copper theft, visit this link http://bit.ly/86BdX8.

AEP Ohio – a unit of American Electric Power -- provides electricity to nearly 1.5 million customers of major AEP subsidiaries Columbus Southern Power Company and Ohio Power Company in Ohio, and Wheeling Power Company in the northern panhandle of West Virginia. AEP Ohio is based in Gahanna, Ohio. The company serves all or part of 61 counties in Ohio and two in West Virginia.