Police in east-central Alberta are searching for thieves who caused an estimated $500,000 in damage while stealing copper wire from an oil-sands facility last week. Alberta RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Mathew Howell told CTV News Edmonton on Wednesday that the suspects broke into the Lindbergh Pump Station in the County of St. Paul early Thursday morning, causing about $500,000 in damage. The thieves also made off with roughly $100,000 worth of copper wire, Howell said. The Lindbergh Pump Station sits adjacent to an underground oilsands operation along Range Road 50, about 30 kilometres southeast of Bonnyville. According to an RCMP media release, site staff received an alert about a power failure at around 2:30 a.m. They later discovered extensive damage and found copper wire had been stolen from the power building. Police said no petroleum products were released as a result of the incident. Anyone with information about the break-and-enter and theft, or who may have video footage from the area around the station between the night of Sept. 16 and the following day, is asked to contact Elk Point RCMP at 780-724-3964 or through the Alberta RCMP app.
