AUBURN — Local police are investigating a vandal-driven forklift joyride which left around 6,800 in the dark Saturday night in the Lewiston-Auburn area, according to police and Central Maine Power.

Auburn Police Chief Jason Moen said multiple unknown subjects broke into a construction site at Turner Street and Center Street and “took a forklift for a joyride through the site.”

The vandals extended the forks, which became entangled in overhead powerlines, Moen said.

CMP spokesperson Jonathan Breed said the incident likely caused some dramatic arcing and sparking before the vandals fled the scene. He said the stolen equipment — a type of forklift known as a telescopic handler, or telehandler — does not belong to CMP.

No one was injured in the incident or aftermath, Moen said.

CMP was able to use remote control technology managing the grid to put about 5,500 customers back online shortly after the problem was reported, Breed said. Crews were able to then deenergize the lines, untangle them from the forks and boom and work on line repairs. By 9:30 a.m. repairs were completed and power restored.

“All told, repairs took about six hours to complete,” Breed said. “I’ve got to say crews did great work during this really bizarre situation.”

Auburn police continue to investigate the incident, described as criminal mischief. Moen did not say if police have any suspects or how many may have been involved.