TULSA, Ok — Public Service Company of Oklahoma says thieves are now coming directly to substations to steal copper wire.

In addition to being destructive, it’s incredibly dangerous due to the high voltage that runs through the substations. KRMG news has learned thieves hit a downtown station, leaving lights off in parts of the area.

The bad guys strip the wire from the lights and sell the material for cash.  Crews have been working to replace the wire in highway lights with less-valuable aluminum. They are also putting locked doors on poles, making it harder to break into them.

The project is costing the city about $3.6 million.