UK power company installs electric security fences at substations

Electric security fences are to be installed at power substations in a desperate bid to put a stop to reckless scrap metal thieves.

CE Electric UK, the company responsible for delivering electricity to thousands of homes across the North East, decided to introduce the measures after recording a sharp increase in the number of raids.

The soaring global market value of copper, coupled with a thriving scrap industry in the region, is thought to be to blame for the rise.

Across the firm's network, which also covers Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire, there were 81 reported break-ins in 2005.

By 2007, this figure had rocketed to 415.

In the past 18 months alone, three copper thieves have lost their own lives and seven more have suffered horrific injuries by raiding CE Electric UK's network.

On Wearside, there were 14 substation break-ins in the past year, with a further eight in Easington and nine in Durham City.