But several residents claimed the sudden power cut led to unstable voltage which burnt out home appliances. No figure was put on the damage.

"Many electrical appliances could not be used, especially televisions and refrigerators," said one of the residents.

"The workers of the power company told us that some cables were lost, leading to this. I also heard three men stole a 40-meter-long cable at midnight."

"We will try to repair the damaged home appliances as much as we can," said a power company official, without saying how much the stolen cables were worth.

Officials said such theft is common in suburban areas, where patrols are few. The company says repair workers have been kept busy in residential and industrial areas putting up new lines after thieves steal cables.

Damage caused by thieves to the city's water and power network has been rising in the past few years, partly due to the rising price of copper in the cables.

One of the city's major water companies reported a loss of 563 meters of cable in the first four months this year, seven times greater than in the same period of 2006, when it lost 77 meters to thieves.

One meter of cable can sell for 40 to 50 yuan (US$5-6) at unlicensed garbage stations, which have formed an underground network, according to media reports.