A locally operating electric utility recently has seen a higher-than-normal amount of vandalism related to copper theft that has caused outages affecting homes and businesses, according to a company spokesman.

Ohio-based FirstEnergy Corp. subsidiary Metropolitan Edison Co. recorded 19 copper theft-related vandalism incidents during a period starting April 12, spokesman Scott Surgeoner said.

The amount is out of the ordinary, he said.

All of the incidents occurred in the Reading and Berks County area, but Met-Ed is asking people across its territory — which includes portions of the midstate — to be vigilant because the incidents have happened elsewhere in the past, Surgeoner said.

Surgeoner said he could not speculate on the reason for the number of incidents.

The vandalism is occurring at substations and has been reported to law enforcement agencies and the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, according to a FirstEnergy news release.