Eideard

A man was electrocuted and died as he and a female partner tried to steal copper wire from an electrical vault in South Gate on Saturday afternoon, police said.

The woman tried to pull him away from the vault when it caught fire and exploded, but the electricity traveled through her body and she received severe burns, South Gate police spokesman Lt. Keith Huff said…

Two small children were found in a truck 15 feet from the accident but were not injured. They were being held by childrens’ services workers, Huff said.

The electrical vault was on a lot at 3064 Firestone Blvd., at the corner of South Gate Avenue. The lot was the former site of Liberty Cable Company but has been unoccupied for more than a year, Huff said.

No one ever said thieves had to be smart. Or live long productive lives.