Saskatchewan RCMP Investigating After Energized Power Pole Cut Down and Stolen
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Saskatchewan RCMP are asking for the public’s help after an entire power pole was cut down and stolen from a rural property, causing a temporary outage in southern Saskatchewan.
The incident occurred on January 27, 2026, in the rural municipality of Key West, about 96 kilometres southwest of Regina. Residents experienced a power outage that lasted approximately two hours while SaskPower crews worked to restore service.
Police later determined that someone had cut down a pole located on an abandoned property. The pole was still energized and connected to a transformer at the time it was removed.
According to Constable Gary Christopher of the Coronach RCMP detachment, there were clear signs the pole had been dragged through the farmyard and across a nearby field before being loaded into a vehicle. Tire tracks in the field indicated erratic driving, but once the vehicle reached a grid road, the tracks disappeared.
Neither the pole nor the transformer has been recovered.
RCMP believe the theft may be linked to copper, as metal thefts targeting infrastructure are not uncommon. However, officers emphasized the significant danger involved in tampering with live electrical equipment, particularly in rural areas where properties may appear unused but still carry active utility lines.
Police deployed an aerial drone to survey the area in an effort to locate the stolen equipment or determine the direction of travel, but no leads have emerged. With a population of just 251 people and a density of 0.3 residents per square kilometre, the municipality has limited surveillance, and no witnesses have come forward.
Authorities have not been able to reach the property owner.
The investigation remains ongoing, and RCMP are asking anyone who may have seen suspicious activity in the area on or around January 27 to contact the Coronach detachment.
For listeners of Keep Canada Weird, the theft joins a growing list of unusual Canadian heists we have covered, from stolen public art to dairy thefts and even the case of a missing horse tail. However, the removal of an entire live power pole may be among the most ambitious.
Police continue to search for answers — and for the pole itself.
The theft of Saskatchewan’s power pole was discussed in this week’s Keep Canada Weird news roundup
Find more unique and offbeat Canadian stories on The Canadian Gothic