More than 50 spans of electric lines have been stolen in Craighead and Lawrence counties in the last few months, and the local utility wants it to stop.
Craighead Electric CEO Brian Duncan told the Paragould Daily Press for a story published Sunday that copper thieves trying to make a quick buck are doing so at the risk of their lives.
In 2007, a man died in east Arkansas while trying to steal a live power line.
Duncan says the damage the thieves cause can trigger explosions, fires and extended electric outages for customers.
Duncan asks residents to call police if they see anyone stealing a power line.
Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
Florida Sues Climate Modeler First Street Over Home Risk Scores 
New US Data Centers Projected to Emit More Carbon Than All of Mexico 
Burned by Fire, Malibu’s Million-Dollar Mansions Face a New Threat: El Niño 
French Riots Seen as Insurance Test Before New Regime Kicks In 
Want to stay up to date?
Get the latest insurance news
sent straight to your inbox.