The North West’s power network operator is asking the public to keep a lookout after assets have been stolen from two sites in Greater Manchester.

Electricity North West estimates that more than £30,000 of equipment has been stolen in the last month after a mini digger and electrical generator were taken.

The digger was stolen from a high voltage substation on Hall Lane in Horwich as thieves used an angle grinder to break through padlocks and illegally enter the grounds before making away with the machine. The generator was stolen yesterday, Tuesday, from a site on Hacken Lane in Darcy Lever.

It is believed both incidents are linked, and Electricity North West is working with Greater Manchester Police.

Paul McMahon, Electricity North West’s area operations manager for Lancashire, said: “It’s incredibly frustrating to have key assets stolen on two separate occasions in Bolton.

“The digger and generator both serve essential purposes to help us keep power on for the local area.

“We need to put a stop to these thefts and I’m appealing to the local community to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity in the area and ask anybody who may have any information to report it directly to the police.”

Thieves attempted to make away with a second digger in Horwich but eventually gave up after stripping the machine down causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.

In Darcy Lever, the generator was being used as part of a job with the thieves towing the machine away leaving just the generator cables behind and cutting power to local homes.

To report any information about the incidents, please use crime reference number 671/280723 for the diggers and 335/7150823 for the generator.