[Nervous Tick]

>> They have been stealing ground wires and system neutrals forever…

I guess the mark of a successful (and older!) copper thief is one who learned to distinguish ground and neutral wires from the other ones. :-)

[EEGator]

And hoping no stray voltage is heading to ground at the moment.
Dead Mexicans have been found here before.

[Max in Utah]

There are old copper thieves and there are bold copper thieves, but there are no old bold copper thieves.