A metal thief may have injured themselves after cutting through a live electricity cable whilst trying to steal metal in Fife.
The incident happened sometime overnight on Sunday to Monday at the former Fife Council yard on Poplar Road, Glenrothes.
PC Ross Philp, who is in charge of the investigation, said: “During the break-in, an amount of copper piping and copper wiring was stolen and while in the yard the thief also cut through a live 240 volt cable, causing an electrical blast.
“While it is possible that the explosion was not life threatening, it is expected that whoever did this will have injured themselves and is likely to require medical attention.
“We are keen to trace the person responsible to ensure their well-being, as well as deal with the criminal issues surrounding this incident.”
The latest incident comes just weeks after two men were charged following a potentially lethal attempt to steal electrical cable from Wormit Quarry. Switched-on police officers caught two men as they allegedly tried to carry out the theft.
The officers PC Mike Lewis and PC Ruth Goldie, based at Cupar police station were on patrol in the Wormit area when they noticed a van parked near the entrance of the quarry and decided to investigate further.
They then found the men had dug two four feet-deep trenches, exposing a length of the buried cable and were preparing to steal it. The cable was connected to a disused outbuilding.
The two men, aged 37 and 25, were arrested for allegedly attempting to steal the buried electrical cable and will be reported to the procurator fiscal at Cupar.
That incident came after a 53-year-old Leven man suffered an electric shock and was seriously injured while making a similar attempt near Methil late last year.
He was traced and ended up in hospital after allegedly trying to steal electrical cable by cutting into a main power cable across bridge on the River Leven.
Metal theft which risks lives and costs the UK around £770 million per year has been described by police as “frightening”.
Anyone with any information about this incident, or who knows who is responsible, is asked to call Police Scotland on 101 or provide the information anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.