Washington burglars take out three power substations on Christmas

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Burglars in Tacoma, Washington, vandalized three power stations on Christmas morning, leaving about 14,000 customers without electricity, according to police.

At about 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of a burglary at the Tacoma Public Utilities Substation on 46th Avenue.

Police said multiple substations in Tacoma, Washington, were vandalized on Christmas, leaving thousands of residents without power.  (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)

When deputies arrived, a statement from the department read, they saw evidence that a fenced area was broken into. While nothing was taken from the substation, police said equipment was vandalized, causing a power outage in the area.

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Another burglary was reported later that morning at a Tacoma Public Utilities substation on 224th Street, again with forced entry and damage to the equipment, and nothing stolen from the scene.

At 11:25 a.m. a third burglary was reported by Puget Sound Energy of a power outage and burglary that occurred at about 2:40 a.m.

Electricity Pylons at sunset on background (iStock)

Deputies said the third scene was broken into as well, and the equipment was vandalized.

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As a result of the burglaries and vandalism that took place, 14,000 Tacoma residents were without power on Sunday morning.

The website poweroutage.us reported just before 7 p.m. on Sunday that only 2,084 Tacoma Public Utilities customers and 1,365 Puget Sound Energy customers were without power.

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All three burglaries remain under investigation, and suspects have not been apprehended.