Copper wire thieves have been busy over the last two years, with BC Hydro reporting a 380 per cent increase in thefts of wire from their infrastructure. (Dreamstime)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

dangerous practice

Copper wire thefts from BC Hydro infrastructure spike nearly 400 per cent

Dec 11, 2025 | 4:15 PM

NANAIMO — Thieves looking for a quick buck from high-value copper wiring are striking faster and more often across the Island.

BC Hydro is reporting a 380 per cent increase in the number of thefts of wiring from their electrical infrastructure, with 11 reported incidents on Vancouver Island alone since January 2024.

Utility spokesperson Susie Rieder said it’s been a sharp increase, which is dangerous and costly.

“The consequences are not just costly but could also be fatal. We have logged 24 maintenance hole thefts and mischief cases since January 2024 [province-wide] compared to just five in the previous two years. It really is a direct threat to public safety, the crews and even the thieves themselves.”

A vast majority of the Island’s incidents were in the Greater Victoria area.

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Nine were reported in the Lower Mainland, while the remainder were through the Interior and northern B.C.

Rieder said in most cases, thieves will open up live electrical equipment, including maintenance holes, and sever cables at both ends.

They can then drag out around 200 metres worth of cable using a vehicle or a winch system to then sell at scrap metal dealers.

“Fixing this type of damage is really expensive, the repair costs have been estimated at about $1.2 million. We are working closely with police to investigate these incidents.”

Rieder added tampering with these cables can be extremely dangerous for thieves, as well as innocent bystanders who may trip or fall into maintenance holes or come in contact with live wiring as a result of the theft.

BC Hydro is urging anyone who sees suspicious activity around electrical infrastructure to call 911.

Wire thefts in the Nanaimo region are reported periodically to police.

In late 2022, lamp standards were targeted in multiple incidents across the city, with the highest concentration of thefts coming from just outside downtown.

In each case, wiring was replaced with aluminum, which carries significantly less value.

Thieves also shut down the lights at Merle Logan Field in late September 2020, making off with between 300 and 500 feet of copper wiring from light fixtures in an early morning heist.

— with files from Bill Nation, 97.3 The Eagle

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