Man shocked with 7k amps stealing copper

czechmate7 said:

Copper theft suspect located

Deputies charge second man in an unrelated metal heist


A man investigators believe was shocked severely while trying to steal copper from a Gulf Power Co. substation in October has been found in a Seattle-area hospital.

The Escambia County Sheriff's Office has issued a warrant for the arrest of Maxie Keyeontrez Stamps, 31, of Pensacola.

Stamps is charged with burglary, possession of burglary tools, grand theft and criminal mischief in connection with the Oct. 16 incident.

Gulf Power officials told investigators that utility systems recorded a jolt measuring 7,000 amps -- enough to power 15,000 homes -- to the person who tapped into a live wire during the attempted theft.

"It's amazing that he is still alive," Gulf Power spokesman John Hutchinson said. "A jolt like that can (microwave your insides)."

Copper thefts have been on the rise recently because of a shortage in the coveted metal.

Investigators James Hall and Larry Meadows followed several leads to Seattle, where they found Stamps in a hospital. Stamps was being treated for injuries consistent with severe electrical burns, Sgt. Mike Ward, Escambia County Sheriff's Office spokesman, said in a news release....

http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061206/NEWS01/612060345/1006

So after he gets zapped goes ALL THE WAY to Seattle (from Florida) for treatment!

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Buzzm1 said:

The theft of copper is one of the fastest growing crimes in the U.S. What large stadium recently discovered that most of their heavy power lines for their field lights had been stolen?

Also the windmill farms have been getting hit a lot with large thefts of their transmission lines. Altamont Pass above Livermore, has been hit many times over the past year.

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