Men caught after alleged copper theft plunges shops into darkness

Two men have been charged after hundreds of kilograms of wiring was allegedly stolen from a shopping centre in Ipswich, cutting power and plunging businesses into darkness.

Investigators say the theft followed multiple incidents over nine days, including the late-night damage of a CCTV camera.

On November 9, an inspection revealed extensive damage to electrical infrastructure in the Redbank Plains complex, with large sections of cabling cut and removed.

Police estimated about 239 kilograms of copper wire had been stolen, plunging shops within the centre into darkness that night.

On Friday afternoon, police confirmed men aged 42 and 46 had been charged with a string of offences including possession of tainted property, and entering a premise and committing an indictable offence.

Both were kept in custody, with one due to appear at Ipswich Magistrates Court on December 2 and the other scheduled for January 8.

“It is not a victimless crime,” Detective Inspector Mick Manago said in a statement.

“These types of offences can have a substantial impact on local businesses and the wider community, particularly when damage to essential infrastructure results in power disruptions and costly repairs.

“Businesses can face significant financial losses, disruption to their operations and delays while damaged infrastructure is repaired.”

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