Regina man facing charges after power meters removed

A 37-year-old man is facing charges after a string of rather strange events in Regina.

He allegedly removed power meters from five homes and one business in the city, and also cut the cord of a debit machine.

On Saturday at about 7:50 a.m., officers were sent to a home in the 2500 block of Wascana Street for a report of a suspicious man in the caller’s yard. The caller said their power went out after the man was spotted.

When police arrived, the suspect was gone and the caller’s power meter was disconnected. After police got a description of the suspect and shared it with other officers, the man subsequently was located and arrested.

After further investigation, police determined there had been similar events recently in the city, including:

• Saturday, when another house in the 2500 block of Wascana had its power meter removed;
• Saturday, when the power meter was removed from a home in the 2500 block of Coronation Street;
• Nov. 14, when the power meter was taken off a house in the 5000 block of Tutor Way;
• Oct. 31, when a house in the 2200 block of Grant Road lost its power meter; and
• Oct. 19, when the power meter was removed from a business in the 900 block of Albert Street.

As well, on Oct. 22, the cord of a debit machine was cut at a business in the 2700 block of Gordon Road.

The suspect was charged with mischief under $5,000 and obstructing a peace officer. He made his first court appearance Monday.