A building on the north side of Madras which occupies a few businesses, woke up to no power, but it wasn’t because of the weather or not paying the bill.
“When the electrician came up they mentioned something that was super concerning for me, that this was not a novice person, this was not somebody that was just trying to clip wires and take copper, this was somebody with an intention and purpose and has done this before,” owner of Three Peaks CrossFit Melissa Smith said Monday afternoon.
In the early hours of Monday morning, someone — or a group of people — stole electrical breakers.
No power, no heat, no phone line.
“They were able to cut our units here, and they were able to cut the rest all the way down, so six of them,” said Smith. “The thing that the power guy and the electrician said, was this was definitely a professional; they knew what they were doing because had these wires crossed, they would have been blown across the highway.”
The lights in the back of the building where the breakers are, were spray painted black with some even being taken down.
“These criminals — and I am going to call them that criminals — will go to business and they will do the same thing and they will sell them on eBay, Facebook marketplace and Craigslist to other electricians on the east coast for extreme prices,” she said.
According to Smith, six breakers were stolen, estimated around $700 each and that does not include additional damages.
Smith is using a generator for heat and light, as well as propane heaters to continue some of her classes.
She said she’s more worried about the business next to her, which is production and manufacturing based, and this is a very busy time for them.
Madras Police were there Monday and are investigating the missing pieces of property.
