An airport, parcel sorting depot, homes and businesses lost power after thieves broke into an electricity substation.
Thieves broke into the station near Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Warwickshire, shortly after midnight on Thursday and stole a large amount of cable wiring.
Police said Coventry Airport and the nearby distribution centre were among places affected, although they switched to back-up generators.
The theft could have proved "extremely dangerous", police added.
'Death risk'
Ch Insp Bob Musgrove of Warwickshire Police said the thieves got into a fenced area around the substation and removed fuses before stealing the cabling.
"This was an extremely dangerous incident.
"The thieves not only placed themselves at risk of serious injury or even death, but also placed those who had to deal with the damage afterwards at great risk too."
A spokeswoman for Coventry Airport said they had no flights operating at that time of night, and the airport had switched to its own back-up system, so there had been hardly any disruption.
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