Ipswich shopping centre shut down after copper thieves steal wiring

In short: 

Town Square Redbank Plains has been left in darkness after thieves targeted electrical cables.

Business owners have been forced to shut down until power is restored. 

What's next? 

Energex crews are providing assistance to the shopping centre's staff.

An Ipswich shopping centre has been cut from power this morning after copper thieves stole about 200 metres of wire.

Town Square Redbank Plains told shopkeepers via email that thieves had stolen critical earthing cables needed to safely power the site.

Aida, who runs a sushi restaurant in the centre, said her inventory would spoil throughout the day if it was not refrigerated.

"We have meat, fish, vegetables, things like that," Aida said.

"It's sad," Aida said.

Aida said shopping centre management staff had told her that they hoped to have the power up and running by about 5pm, by which point the food would have spoiled.

Sam, who runs the local barber shop with his brother, said it was a financial blow for his family.

"I thought, 'Man, we're going to lose so much money, so many customers,'" Sam said.

"We still need to give our employees the full day's pay, brother."

The Aldi and Woolworths supermarkets also lost power and were closed.

Energex spokesperson Danny Donald said it was the shopping centre's private wiring, and had not affected the public network.

He said Energex crews were on site to assist the shopping centre's staff.

Mr Donald said the copper theft was a selfish and dangerous act.

"They've made a mess of the shopping centre's network and put their own lives at risks in the meantime," Mr Donald said.

"We've had deaths and severe injuries this year from people giving it a go."

The Redland Plains Dental is offline and has been redirecting calls to its Ipswich centre.