Man badly burned during alleged wire theft attempt at Fred C. Nelles facility in Whittier

WHITTIER — A man suffered a severe injuries and may lose a hand after he was shocked while allegedly trying to steal wiring from an abandoned juvenile hall facility in Whittier early Saturday, authorities said. The incident was the second time this week an accused wire thief has been badly shocked in the Whittier area.
The incident took place about 5 a.m. at the Fred C. Nelles Youth Correction Facility site, 11850 Whittier Blvd., California Highway Patrol and Los Angeles County Fire Department officials said.
The injured suspect, a Downey man in his 50s, was expected to survive but suffered severe burns to both hands, CHP Sgt. Charles Quijada said. “Last we heard, he may lose a hand.”
The man’s name was not available Saturday as he remained hospitalized.
Whittier police first responded to the facility and discovered the man in an electrical room toward the rear of the campus, which it appeared he had broken into, Quijada said. Panels had been removed from an electrical vault, wires had been cut and tools were found near the injured man.
He was expected to face burglary charges once his medical condition improved.
The value of the damage done to the facility was still being ascertained, Quijada added.
Whittier police turned the investigation over to the CHP, which patrols state facilities.
Last weekend, another man suffered major burned and was hospitalized in critical condition after receiving a 12,000-volt shock while trying to steal wiring from a Southern California Edison site in the 9900 block of Beverly Boulevard in Pico Rivera, according to Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. Robert Smith.
Billy Ray Owens, 51, of Whittier was discovered badly burned next to a pair of bolt cutters and a large piece of electrical equipment shortly before 5 a.m. Sunday, Smith said. The incident briefly shut off power for more than 20,000 SCE customers in Pico Rivera and unincorporated Whittier and caused an estimated $45,000 worth of damage to the equipment, officials said.

Facebook Twitter Reddit Tumblr Linkedin Email