JACKSON TWP — A power outage in Jackson and Cranberry township early this morning was caused by someone stealing copper wire out of a substation on Route 19.

Rob Lombardo, area manager for Penn Power, said sometime early this morning someone broke into the substation, located on Route 19, and stole copper wire from the running station.

“You can die doing that,” he said.

The thief also cut several wires that blew out the unit's grounds, causing repairs to be even more dangerous for crews today.

As of press time, about 3,800 customers of Penn Power were without power, and because of the extent of damage to the substation, Lombardo said it may take until this evening to get everyone back on line.

“We are bringing in a mobile substation to try and get some customers back up sooner, but with no grounds, our crews have to work cautiously,” he said.