A major copper theft leaves a shopping centre in Ipswich, Queensland, without power and forces stores to shut down. All outlets say thieves remove a large amount of copper wiring from the Town Square Redbank Plains centre, triggering an electricity outage that affects businesses.

Several reports focus on the impact on retailers, including closures and lost trading opportunities. Two outlets also specify the scale of the theft, describing it as about 200 metres of copper wiring removed.

One outlet adds a utility response: ABC Australia reports that Energex describes the theft as “stupid and dangerous.” Across sources, the core facts remain consistent, while the emphasis differs between general power and shutdown coverage versus more detailed framing about the quantity of wiring taken and the consequences for supermarkets and other food retailers.