There has been another dangerous case of attempted copper wire theft in Lake Macquarie over the long weekend.
Ausgrid says a metal security gate at Marks Point near the Pacific Highway was cut through with a saw, before the base of a power pole was dug away as the would-be thief tried to remove live wires from the earth beneath the structure.
The incident resulted in power loss to 1200 nearby homes and sparked a small fire.
It's not the first incident of its kind this year - in March thieves risked their lives stealing the valuable product from a powerline at Toronto.
500 metres of copper wire was then taken from Masonite Road, Tomago and Awaba Road Toronto West in late August.
Ausgrid is renewing its warning that the practice is life-threatening and criminal, while police have launched investigations.
