On Thanksgiving Day, copper thieves caused significant power outages for nearly 1,000 residents in Mason County by breaking into underground electrical vaults. The outages began after 2 p. m. , coinciding with many families' holiday preparations. Mason Public Utility District 3 reported that while most residents had their power restored by 5:30 p.

m. , some remained without electricity until the following morning. In response to this incident, PUD 3 plans to enhance security measures around its vaults and explore specialized equipment to better isolate outages and expedite repairs. They also called on the community to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activities, as thieves often disguise themselves in reflective vests and hard hats. This incident underscores the risks associated with metal theft and its significant impact on local utility services, highlighting the need for community engagement in crime prevention.