Two men charged over 250kg copper theft which plunged Ipswich shops into darkness

Detailed summary

Queensland Police found one alleged copper thief hiding in a wardrobe after a brazen nine-day heist left an entire shopping centre without power.

Two men who allegedly stole almost 250kg of copper wire and electrical cabling from an Ipswich shopping centre in a nine-day co-ordinated heist are behind bars after they were arrested by police.

One of the men was found allegedly hiding among clothes in a bedroom closet when Queensland Police descended on two locations earlier this week and took the two men into custody in handcuffs.

Police will allege the theft of the wiring and cabling about 400 metres in total length took place over a period of nine days and was ultimately discovered when the Town Square Redbank Plains Shopping Centre was plunged into darkness on Monday, November 9 and left without power for more than a day.

Detective Inspector Mick Manago said the planned robbery began on November 1 when a masked man was allegedly captured on CCTV deliberately damaging a security camera at the Redbank Plains Road site before leaving.

Offenders then allegedly cut through perimeter fencing on November 5 before forcing entry to a door using a crowbar and stealing 239kg of wiring over a couple of nights.

On 9 November, extensive damage to electrical infrastructure at the shopping centre was discovered, with sections of main earthing cable cut and removed, along with additional cabling believed to contain copper.

Food outlets lost stock when they were unable to keep it refrigerated and retailers lost at least a day’s trade in the disruption.

Detective Inspector Manago said copper wire theft has significant consequences beyond the immediate financial loss.

“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,” Detective Inspector Manago said.

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