On September 17th at approximately 8:00 am, a PG&E worker responded to the area of Calaveras Ave. and Palmer Ave. in Coalinga.
This area transmitted an alert that electricity had been interrupted. The worker discovered seven wooden power poles had been cut down. The suspects stole 5,000 feet of bare copper wire and vandalized a transformer, taking the copper out of it as well. The loss in this case totals $50,000.
The crime occurred in an area where a well pump site is located. The lines from the downed poles delivered power to allow water to be transferred from the pump station to Coalinga State Prison and Coalinga State Hospital. The theft is believed to have occurred around 12:30 am, due to dozens of customers reporting a loss of power at that time.
Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Ag Office at (559) 600-8150 or email
