On a November night in Redbank Plains, Ipswich, a masked figure turned away from a security camera at Town Square, and that small act of defiance opened a nine-day sequence in which a shopping centre's quiet machinery was taken apart piece by piece. Police allege the copper that was carried off, 239 kilograms of it, was only the visible residue of a deliberate plan, one that drew a community's ordinary Tuesday into closed doors and spoiled food. Two men from the same suburb now face the courts, and the larger question of who else shared in the planning, and how the metal left the site, remains
Two Men Charged After Nine-Day Copper Theft Cripples Town Square Redbank Plains Shopping Centre
Businesses at Town Square Redbank Plains lost trading and food stock spoiled after a power outage caused by the theft.
Nine days, 239 kilograms of copper, and a shopping centre in the dark
Mark
Why does a copper theft get this much attention? It sounds like a metal crime.
Mimi
Because of what it switched off. Most shops at Town Square lost power on a Tuesday, businesses closed, and food spoiled. The stolen wire was the smaller part of the loss.
Luke
Is there a dollar figure on the damage anywhere?
Mimi
Not in the reporting. We have 239 kilograms of copper, but no value and no repair cost.
Mark
And the nine days? Is that a firm timeline?
Mimi
The dates come from police allegations: the camera damaged November 1, the fence cut and door forced November 5, the damage found on an inspection November 9.
Luke
So those are allegations, not findings. And note that nobody has been convicted of anything yet.
Mimi
Right. Both men are charged and in custody, with court dates December 2 and January 8.
Mark
The detective talked about planning. What does he base that on?
Luke
He says it was coordinated and that he'd expect a vehicle was needed. That's his expectation. Whether anyone else was involved is explicitly still under investigation.
Mimi
Which is why police are asking for sightings of suspicious vehicles.
Mark
What's still unknown, then?
Luke
The cost, who else was involved, and how the copper was moved. The reporting doesn't answer any of those yet.
Le Pouls
- A masked man disabled a CCTV camera at Town Square on November 1, and police say that was the first move in a coordinated attack.
- Fencing was cut and a door was forced with a crowbar on November 5, exposing the centre's electrical infrastructure.
- A severed main earthing cable and stripped wiring left most shops without power on a Tuesday, forcing closures and spoiling food stock.
- Two Redbank Plains men, aged 42 and 46, are in custody with charges including tainted property possession, fraud, and drug-related offences.
- Police are hunting possible accomplices and a vehicle capable of hauling the copper, with a public appeal for sightings and court dates on December 2 and January 8.
On a November night in Redbank Plains, Ipswich, a masked figure turned away from a security camera at Town Square, and that small act of defiance opened a nine-day sequence in which a shopping centre's quiet machinery was taken apart piece by piece. Police allege the copper that was carried off, 239 kilograms of it, was only the visible residue of a deliberate plan, one that drew a community's ordinary Tuesday into closed doors and spoiled food. Two men from the same suburb now face the courts, and the larger question of who else shared in the planning, and how the metal left the site, remains open.
Around 11pm on November 1, a masked man was caught on CCTV at Town Square in Redbank Plains, Ipswich, deliberately damaging a security camera before walking away. Police now say that moment began a nine-day operation that ended with 239 kilograms of copper wire missing and most of the centre's shops in the dark.
Detective Inspector Mick Manago calls the attack coordinated. Police allege that on November 5 the offenders cut through perimeter fencing and forced a door with a crowbar. A site inspection on November 9 found extensive electrical damage, including a severed main earthing cable.
The outage hit on a Tuesday. Shops closed, and food spoiled in the cabinets. Inspector Manago stressed that the harm reaches well beyond the value of the metal: businesses face repair bills and the trading they lose while shut.
Two Redbank Plains men, aged 42 and 46, are in custody. The older of the two was found after trying to hide in a clothes closet, and both face a list of charges including tainted property, fraud and possession of utensils. Their first court dates are December 2 and January 8.
Police are asking whether others helped plan the job and how the copper was moved. Anyone who was near the centre and noticed suspicious vehicles is urged to come forward.
Around 11pm on November 1, a masked man was caught on CCTV at Town Square Redbank Plains, in Ipswich, deliberately damaging a security camera before walking away. Police now say that moment was the start of a nine-day operation that ended with 239 kilograms of copper wire gone and most of the centre's shops without power.
Detective Inspector Mick Manago described the attack as coordinated. According to police allegations, on November 5 offenders cut through the perimeter fencing and forced a door open with a crowbar. An inspection of the site on November 9 found extensive damage to the electrical infrastructure, including a severed main earthing cable and additional wiring.
The outage came on a Tuesday, when most of the shops at Town Square lost power. Businesses had to close, and food spoiled. Inspector Manago said the harm from this kind of crime reaches well past the value of the metal itself. Businesses face costly repairs, he said, and they also take a financial hit from the trading they lose while they are shut.
Police have arrested two Redbank Plains men, aged 42 and 46. The 46-year-old was found after he tried to hide in a clothes closet. He has been charged with three counts of possessing tainted property, two counts of fraud, and one count each of entering premises to commit an indictable offence and possessing utensils. He was remanded in custody and is due in Ipswich Magistrates Court on January 8.
The 42-year-old faces two counts of possessing tainted property and fraud, plus one count each of entering premises to commit an indictable offence, possessing dangerous drugs, possessing property suspected of having been used in the commission of a drug offence, and possessing utensils. He was also remanded in custody and is due in the same court on December 2.
Inspector Manago said police are looking at whether others were involved. "There was some planning, which is quite concerning for us," he said. He expects that quantity of copper cabling would have needed a vehicle to carry it away, and he is appealing to anyone who was in the area at the time and noticed suspicious vehicles to come forward. "There is every chance that further persons will need to be held to account for what's occurred," he said.
For now, two men are in custody and the questions are about who else may have been involved and how the copper left the site. Police are waiting on information from the public about vehicles seen near the centre, and the first court appearance is on December 2.
Citations marquantes
There was some planning, which is quite concerning for us.— Detective Inspector Mick Manago
There is every chance that further persons will need to be held to account for what's occurred.— Detective Inspector Mick Manago
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