FONTANA, Calif. (AP) – A suspected Southern California copper thief has been electrocuted after climbing a power pole and using bolt cutters on a live wire, which also caused a power outage.

The San Bernardino County Sun (
http://bit.ly/IEc5yx) says the body of 26-year-old Robert Buchanan and bolt cutters were found early Monday at the base of a utility pole in an unincorporated area near Fontana.

Nearly 3,100 Southern California Edison customers were without power for about 90 minutes.

San Bernardino County sheriff’s investigators say Buchanan apparently used the bolt cutters to cut live wires from the pole.

A sheriff’s spokeswoman says Edison wires are a frequent target of metal recyclers.

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Information from: The Sun,
http://www.sbsun.com

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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