London police are investigating after they say a hydro pole was intentionally cut down in the city’s south end, causing a power outage for a number of London Hydro customers. Police said emergency crews responded around 5:45 p.m. Tuesday after a citizen reported hearing a loud noise and seeing smoke and flames near a hydro pole in the area of Exeter Road and Meg Drive. Officers arrived on scene alongside the London Fire Department and London Hydro, where they found multiple downed power lines and a damaged hydro pole. According to London Hydro, a chainsaw was used to cut down the pole carrying a three-phase transformer bank. Damage is estimated at approximately $10,000. As a result of the incident, several London Hydro customers lost power. The utility has since completed repairs and electricity has been restored to all affected customers. No injuries were reported. Police have released images of a suspect and a vehicle believed to be connected to the incident in hopes of identifying those involved. The suspect is described as a white man wearing a ball cap, a black hooded sweatshirt with writing across the chest and grey pants. The vehicle is described as a grey sport utility vehicle, believed to be a 2019 Honda CR-V or a similar model. Investigators are asking anyone who was in the area between 5:20 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 6, who witnessed the incident or has dashcam, residential or business surveillance footage to contact London police.
