A REWARD has been offered after more than a thousand residents of a Selby village were left without power due to thieves stealing overhead cable.

Thieves stole 210 metres of cable from NorthernPowergrid's overhead supply in the Burton Salmon area at 5.15am on Thursday, August 28.

Mick Hickling, from NorthernPowergrid, said the thieves were acting "with little concern for their own safety", and were "not only causing power cuts which have affected customers but also putting the public in danger".

He said: "Thieves leave our network in a dangerous condition with cables often left within easy reach of people passing by. The worry is that an innocent bystander could be seriously injured as a result of the thieves’ actions.

“We would like to appeal to anyone who sees any suspicious activity to contact our emergency 24 hour number 0800 375675, the police on 101 or the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 where a reward of up to £1,000 is offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction.”

Thefts were also reported in nearby Garforth and Lumby on Thursday and Friday, with more than 400m of cable stolen, and more than 300 residents left without power.

Sergeant Dan Jones from West Yorkshire Police said: "Criminals are targeting power cables with no regard for their personal safety, the safety of members of the public or the inconvenience that they cause.

"The number of people who are left without power is a cause for concern, particularly as the weather gets colder, many vulnerable people may be left without power."

Anyone with information about the thefts should phone West Yorkshire Police on 101, or if a crime is occurring, phone 999.