A Wales man is accused of using jumper cables to steal power from Central Maine Power, according to Maine State Police. State police said CMP requested a trooper escort to disconnect the power in Nicholas Gagne's home. Police said it was the third time that CMP had tried to disconnect the power, but Gagne kept reconnecting it by clamping jumper cables to the transformer and running a power line to the ground and then to his house. While officers were impressed with Gagne's ingenuity, CMP said what he did was highly dangerous and posed a serious risk to CMP workers who were working on power lines. CMP said Gagne stole $3,000 worth of electricity. Police said Gagne admitted that he connected power to his home. He was arrested on a charge of theft of services. Police said additional charges are possible.

A Wales man is accused of using jumper cables to steal power from Central Maine Power, according to Maine State Police.

State police said CMP requested a trooper escort to disconnect the power in Nicholas Gagne's home.


Police said it was the third time that CMP had tried to disconnect the power, but Gagne kept reconnecting it by clamping jumper cables to the transformer and running a power line to the ground and then to his house.

While officers were impressed with Gagne's ingenuity, CMP said what he did was highly dangerous and posed a serious risk to CMP workers who were working on power lines.

CMP said Gagne stole $3,000 worth of electricity.

Police said Gagne admitted that he connected power to his home. He was arrested on a charge of theft of services.

Police said additional charges are possible.