RCMP are searching for thieves who caused about $500,000 in damage and stole roughly $100,000 worth of copper wire from an oil-sands facility in east-central Alberta last week. The suspects broke into the Lindbergh Pump Station in the County of St. Paul early Thursday morning, Alberta RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Mathew Howell told CTV News Edmonton on Wednesday.

The station is beside an underground oilsands operation along Range Road 50, about 30 kilometres southeast of Bonnyville. An RCMP media release said site staff received an alert about a power failure at around 2:30 a.m. They later found extensive damage and discovered that copper wire had been taken from the power building. Police said the incident did not release any petroleum products.

RCMP are asking anyone with information about the break-and-enter and theft to contact Elk Point RCMP at 780-724-3964 or through the Alberta RCMP app. Police also want to hear from anyone who may have video footage from around the station between the night of Sept. 16 and the following day.

Based on reporting by CTV News Edmonton.