Electrocuted man found hanging from electrical pole on Detroit's west side

Sources say man was trying to steal copper from transformer on pole

DETROIT – Detroit police are investigating the death of a man who was found hanging Wednesday morning from an electrical pole on the city's west side.

Sources told Local 4 the 34-year-old man was trying to steal copper from inside a transformer on the pole when he came in contact with a live wire and was electrocuted. The shock sent his body back from the ladders he was standing on and he was left hanging.

He appears to have died sometime overnight.

Cedric Moses said he noticed the man early Wednesday morning as he was coming home from work.

"We've been here for over 30 years and never seen anything like that," he said. "Oh, my God. It's terrible, it's awful. We have kids coming through here all the time."

Sources said two of three other people are thought to have been involved in the attempted scrapping. DTE Energy had to cut power and a cherry picker was brought in to bring the man's body down.