State police at Frackville are investigating the theft of a large quantity of copper cable from a mining operation in Schuylkill County.

The theft occurred at the Reading Anthracite mining operation off SR4002 near the village of Heckscherville in Cass Township. The theft occurred sometime between 2 and 6 a.m. on Sept. 22.According to troopers unknown criminals cut a lock off a storage shed containing a high voltage power suppy for an electrical mining shovel. They then opened the door and shut off the power supply to the shovel at the circuit breaker.They then went to the coal mining operation and cut about 800 feet of copper power cable feeding the shovel. They then were able to load the extremely heavy and large black power cable into a vehicle and fled the scene.Troopers said the cable has an estimated to value of $27,360.Anyone with information concerning this incident is asked to call troopers at (570) 874-5300.