Four Stobie poles in Adelaide’s north have been deliberately cut through at their bases using professional power tools, leaving live high-voltage electrical infrastructure exposed to the public across two locations over roughly three weeks.

SA Power Networks (SAPN) external affairs manager Cecilia Schultz said the incidents were unlike anything the network had seen, according to ABC News. “We have not seen anything like this before. It is shocking, it is stupid and it is brazen,” she said. “These wires are live. People could be injured or killed.”

The first incident occurred on 21 May 2026 on Harris Road, Concordia, north-east of Gawler, where a pole-top transformer was also brought down and stripped of copper. A second cluster followed around 9 June, when three poles were cut at the base and toppled inside Cobbler Creek Recreation Park, a popular family walking and mountain bike destination between Golden Grove and Salisbury. Three of the four poles fell after being severed.

Each Stobie pole weighs approximately two tonnes and is made from steel and concrete, which is why cutting through one requires an angle grinder or similar professional equipment. South Australia has more than 650,000 of the poles above ground, carrying voltages from 240 to 275,000 volts. Schultz warned that high-voltage lines can electrocute people without direct contact, and urged anyone near damaged or fallen infrastructure to stay at least 10 metres clear. The combination of live lines and a busy recreational park raised the risk considerably, with cyclists and families regularly using the trails.

Motive remains unclear. Copper was present only in the Concordia transformer. The other three poles had no copper to strip. “We really don’t understand the clear motivation of this,” Schultz said. SAPN believes a single individual or group is responsible for all four incidents, given the tight timeframe and similar method.

SAPN crews repaired all four sites after community members reported the downed poles. The network is now appealing for mobile phone or dash-cam footage from the affected areas on the relevant dates. Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers South Australia. Anyone who spots a fallen, low-hanging, or damaged powerline, or a leaning or damaged pole, should stay at least 10 metres away and call SA Power Networks on 13 13 66.

For electricians, linesmen and any tradie working near overhead infrastructure in SA’s northern suburbs, the incidents are a reminder to treat any fallen or leaning pole as live until SAPN formally clears it. That two-tonne steel-and-concrete structures most people consider near-indestructible can be brought down with a common power tool is a sobering detail for anyone working in or around these areas.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Stobie pole?

A Stobie pole is a utility pole made from two steel joists held apart by a slab of concrete, invented in South Australia in 1924. South Australia has more than 650,000 of them carrying power lines above ground.

How dangerous are fallen or severed Stobie poles?

The power lines attached to Stobie poles can carry voltages from 240 up to 275,000 volts. High-voltage lines can electrocute a person without direct contact. SA Power Networks advises staying at least 10 metres away from any fallen or damaged pole or line and calling 13 13 66 immediately.

What should I do if I see a damaged or fallen powerline?

Stay at least 10 metres away, keep others clear, and call SA Power Networks immediately on 13 13 66. Do not attempt to approach or move the line yourself.

Is anyone in custody over the Adelaide Stobie pole vandalism?

As of the time of reporting, no suspects have been identified or charged. SA Power Networks is appealing for mobile phone or dash-cam footage and asking anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers South Australia.

Sourced from ABC News, SA Power Networks. Original article.