Police are appealing to the public to report any suspicious activity around power poles and lines in their community. (file image) Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
Canterbury power company Orion is experiencing an increase in people intentionally tampering with its network throughout the region, police say.
Senior sergeant Roy Appley said people who tampered with electricity put the public at risk of electrocution.
"We have seen instances of potentially live wires that have been left hanging or jutting out of the ground from where people have tampered with cabling and other equipment," Appley said.
"These people may not realise that they are putting the lives of the public at risk.
"It is only a matter of time until a person or an innocent member of the public is seriously injured because of these actions."
Orion general manager Steve Macdonald said it was particularly concerning people might have assumed its network in the city's red zone was not in use.
The red zone network was still live, powering pumps, lights and a small number of households, Macdonald said.
Police are appealing to the public to report any suspicious activity around power poles and lines in their community.
Any suspicious activity around power poles can be reported to police via 111. Information can also be provided to police anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
Damaged power equipment in the region can be reported to Orion on 0800 363 9898.