Thieves target power line metal

It is thought thieves may have been looking to steal the aluminium wires

A power company believes metal thieves could be behind an attempt to pull down electricity lines in rural Perthshire.

A Scottish Hydro Electric patroller spotted wire ropes thrown over the 33,000 volt lines near Alyth on Friday.

The power lines had to be replaced because the ropes had caused them to burn out.

It is thought those responsible may have been looking to cash in on the rising price of metal by selling the aluminium wires for scrap.

There have been a spate of metal thefts across Tayside recently - including road signs and copper boilers.

Because of the remote location of the power lines targeted, it is thought unlikely that children were responsible.

'Act of vandalism'

While the repairs to the lines were being carried out one customer lost electricity for about four hours.

Scottish Hydro Electric warned that had the culprits targeted other overhead lines, much larger areas could have been affected by the blackout.

Company spokeswoman, Morven Smith, said: "Whoever put them [the ropes] there, it's difficult to say why they were there, but it does look like it's an act of vandalism.

"It's possible they were looking to bring the wires down to steal the aluminium that the wires are made from.

"Whatever they were doing, it was extremely dangerous and they're lucky they weren't injured or killed."