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Copper Thefts May Lead To Power Outages In Indiana

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A spike in copper thefts may lead to electrical outages in northern Indiana.

Thieves have been stealing copper wire and equipment from utility poles, substations and electrical cabinets at such a rate the Indiana Michigan power company is worried people could lose power.

According to the South Bend Tribune, power company officials put out a warning to consumers that missing copper and tampering by thieves could impact the reliability of the power system, causing service interruptions.

Copper can be sold for scrap and cases of stolen copper are on the rise.

Last week, police in Springfield reported a three foot copper sword was stolen from the a Civil War statue at the tomb of Abraham Lincoln

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio's Julie Mann Reports

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