Westar Energy says the company needs help from the public to stop theft and vandalism at power substations. Shane Batchelder is a spokesman for the utility:
Copper theft appears to be the biggest motive for the break-ins. While a law passed by the 2011 Kansas Legislature set higher standards for dealers who buy metals such as copper, it apparently hasn't had much of an effect on the appetite thieves seem to have for the pricey, re-sellable material.