ScottishPower has offered a £3,000 reward after thieves targeted an electricity substation in Livingston, destroying its sidewall and trashing its switchgear and power apparatus.

The incident took place on Saturday 27 April, in broad daylight at around 2pm just off Gregory Road in the Kirkton Campus area of Livingston.

The attack appears to have been premeditated with sophisticated equipment used to remove the whole sidewall of the substation allowing access to the switchgear and apparatus which those responsible tried to forcefully remove.

The damage has been estimated in excess of £20,000 and caused power outage to a number of adjoining businesses. Engineers from SP Energy Networks managed to reconnect homes within an hour by switching supplies onto another part of the grid.

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Vandalism to electricity distribution substations can often result in power loss to communities, cause fires and results in serious electric shocks to those responsible. Those carrying out such acts also risk serious injury or loss of life.

Guy Jefferson, SP Energy Networks Customer Service Director, said: "This is not a victimless crime. Illegal tampering with anything that links to the electricity network can be extremely dangerous and whoever was behind this clearly don't care about the consequences.

"Those responsible left a high voltage electrical asset unsecure and accessible to members of the public including inquisitive children. These substations carry 11,000 volts and a very high risk of electrocution and flash burns. It beggars belief that anyone could risk their lives, and those of others, in this way. We will work closely with the police to help catch those responsible, but we would also encourage anyone who has any information on those responsible to come forward."

SPEN is encouraging anyone who can provide information on the incident to either contact the Police through the national 101telephone number or via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or to call the company's 24-hour hotline on 0800 092 9290.

The company is willing to pay £3,000 to anyone who provides information which eventually leads to the conviction of any of those responsible.