People tampering with power poles and lines in Canterbury are putting other people's lives at risk, police say.
Senior Sergeant Roy Appley said Canterbury power company Orion was experiencing an increase in people tampering with its network throughout the region.
“These incidents put the members of the public at risk of electrocution.
“We have seen instances of potentially live wires that have been left hanging or jutting out of the ground from where people have tampered with cabling and other equipment.
“These people may not realise that they are putting the lives of the public at risk."
He said it was only a matter of time until someone was seriously injured because of the actions.
He urged anyone seeing suspicious activity around power poles or lines to call 111 immediately.
"If you see power equipment that’s been damaged, please call Orion on 0800 363 9898, day or night."
