Copper thieves cause Thanksgiving power outage in Mason County | The Olympian

On Thanksgiving Day, a significant power outage affected nearly 1,000 residents in Mason County due to a copper theft incident. The outages began shortly after 2 p. m. , just as families were preparing for their holiday meals. Mason Public Utility District 3 disclosed that thieves broke into underground electrical vaults and removed copper wires, causing extensive disruption.

Most residents had their power restored by 5:30 p. m. , but some remained without electricity until the following morning. The PUD highlighted the dangers associated with copper theft, stating that the risks taken by thieves are not worth the potential gains. In light of this incident, the utility is committed to improving security measures at its vaults and upgrading equipment to help isolate outages, thereby allowing faster restoration of services.

They also urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities, particularly noting that thieves often disguise themselves to appear legitimate. This incident underscores the broader issue of copper theft, which poses risks not only to utilities but also to public safety and community well-being.