Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012

LITTLE RIVER, S.C. (AP) -- The Horry County Electric Cooperative is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of vandals who broke into one of its electric substations, cutting power to thousands of customers.

About 4,500 customers in Longs and Little River in the northeastern corner of South Carolina were without service for almost six hours early Monday. The cooperative is not releasing specific details of the vandalism.

Executive vice president and CEO Pay Howle says he doesn't want to release any information that could jeopardize the investigation. But he says anyone causing damage to the electric system causing hardship for customers will be prosecuted.

(Copyright 2012, The Associated Press)