Downtown Price plagued with wire theft

Thieves steal copper wires, ground rods from businesses
When Laska McCourt walks out of the back door of her Main Street business, Body Glo Day & Medical Spa, she says she feels like she just stepped into Compton, Calif.
That’s how serious she says the crime problem is becoming  along the alleyway and parking area behind her boutique.
Last Monday she discovered someone had stripped the ground electrical wiring from the electrical meter on her building’s back wall. The thieves also took the 8-foot ground rod the wiring was attached to.
Her’s was not the only business to experience this sort of theft. The Elks Lodge, Farlaino’s Cafe, and Bookcliff Sales nearby also had their ground wiring stolen.
“Luckily all the electrical in my building is brand new. But it doesn’t mean something couldn’t go bad. It’s dangerous,” McCourt said. “I don’t know who’s responsible for that. I thought everything outside is the city’s responsibility to repair.”
McCourt is likely wrong about that last part. Steven Richardson, with Price City’s utilities and electrical operations, said businesses will be responsible for repairing their building’s ground wires and rods, while the city is responsible for the meters, substations, as well as any underground and overhead power lines.  
“This is definitely a crime against the small business owner,” he said.
Richardson said it could cost hundreds of dollars to replace the ground wires and rods. The copper stolen probably only amounts to a few dollars for the thieves, he said.
Asked how dangerous not having a ground wire or rods in place, Richardson said any danger is remote, but still an electrical fire or electrocution is a possibility.
“One of those businesses did report flickering and flashing lights. That creates other issues as well. First and foremost, it is definitely theft. You are putting people into a position where they can be hurt,” Richardson said.
He said ground rods and wires help manage the voltage in the electrical grid. A sudden drop in grounding in one area can increase the voltage—and the danger of an accident—in another part of the grid.
“You could have a situation develop where a fire could start. And you do have a situation where someone could get electrocuted,” he said.
If any residents or business owners suspect their ground wires have been tampered with, Richardson said they are urged to call an electrician.
“We just want people to know if they suspect it has been messed with, the best thing to do is to call an electrician, have them come and look at it. If there is a problem, we need them to call the cops before they do anything. Have the cops come out and take a look at it,” Richardson said.  
Capt. Bill Barnes, a Price City Police Department spokesman, said police are investigating the thefts. So far he said there are at least four business owners who have made reports, with a fifth business identified late last week.
No suspects have been identified, but employees at multiple affected businesses told the Sun Advocate that police were able to obtain surveillance video recordings showing two men possibly involved in the thefts.
Richardson said the problem might not be confined to just one block of Main Street. He said Friday that it could be more widespread than initially reported, but no new information was available by presstime.
If anyone has any information about these thefts, please call Price City Police, 636-3190. They can also call Price City’s utilities office, 636-3196 or 636-3197, with any questions or concerns