Powercor, a major electricity distributor in Victoria, faced escalating copper cable theft from public lighting pits. Offenders operated at night, using vehicles to rip hundreds of metres of copper cable from underground, leaving live wires and creating serious safety and service risks. A reliable, covert solution was urgently required to mitigate this threat.
Solution
Powercor partnered with Nova Systems to deploy GAP for intrusion detection. Covert GPS Tamper Alarms were installed in targeted service pits, detecting unauthorised access and instantly transmitting GPS data with minimal false alarms. The rugged, IP-rated devices withstood harsh field conditions and were integrated with CCTV and response protocols.
The initial trial in high-risk areas of Melbourne’s western suburbs successfully enabled real-time alerting, supported joint operations with police and created the hostile environment needed to deter criminal activity.
GAP proved scalable, cost-effective and accurate - aligning with Powercor’s strategy to protect public lighting and reduce theft-related disruptions.
Outcome
The GAP-based solution provided a tool to support copper theft intelligence gathering and copper theft disruption in high-risk zones. Real-time GPS alerts and coordinated law enforcement responses helped deter offenders, improve asset security and reduce service disruption.
Powercor continues to explore system expansion and innovative solutions across other vulnerable infrastructure to enhance network reliability and community safety.