BTP warning following cable theft

British Transport Police are warning prospective cable thieves in the North West they are risking their liberty and their lives.

Officers in the region are concentrating their efforts on cable theft following a series of incidents in the past two weeks.

These incidents have seen more than 1km of trackside cable stolen from the railway, affecting communications and signalling equipment on a number of routes.

Now BTP is stepping up its efforts in a bid to prevent further thefts and subsequent disruption.

Detective Chief Inspector Malcolm McKinnon said: “Cable theft is a major issue for BTP and the wider railway community and as such we will be stepping up our patrols to deter prospective thieves.

“We are currently reviewing several of the incidents reported to us in the past few weeks and will be seeking to gather as much forensic evidence as possible.

“We will also be out and about visiting scrap yards in the area as most cable thieves look for the quickest way to sell on the stolen goods – scrap yards are one such method.

“We are working closely with the scrap yard owners to monitor any cable which is brought in and, with assistance from railway and telecoms experts, can quickly identify stolen cable.

“Technological and forensic advances, including the use of Smartwater, are making life more and more difficult for cable thieves and are increasing the opportunities for BTP to detect criminals.

“BTP has seen good success in recent months in bringing cable thieves to justice with several offenders receiving substantial prison sentences.”

The recent rise in the number of cable theft offences comes on the back of increases in the price of copper on the world markets.

The railway industry experienced a significant increase in cable thefts between 2006 and 2008, but the trend fell away towards the end of 2008 as the value of copper decreased rapidly.

Throughout 2009 copper has recovered much of its value, making cable a more attractive proposition for thieves and recreating an issue for the rail industry.

However it is not just the safety of the cable that is being put at risk.

DCI McKinnon added: “Thankfully the theft of cable does not put rail users in any danger as, whenever cable is cut, all the lineside signals default to red which prevents trains from travelling in the affected area.

“However, the thieves themselves are putting their lives on the line.

“The vast majority of thefts occur at night and the nature of the crime means that the offenders have to travel to the very edge of the tracks to access the cable. Because of this there is a very real risk that they could be struck by a passing train whilst they are attempting to steal the cable.

“Many different companies have cable at the side of the railway and as well as signalling and telecoms cable, there are also power lines next to many tracks and thieves are not always able to differentiate between the various types.

“As a result we have also seen several thieves sustain serious injuries as a result of cutting through the wrong cable and exposing live power lines.”

He added: “Cable theft not only costs the railway industry tens of thousands of pounds each year, it could also end up costing thieves their lives.

“My message to prospective thieves is simple – do not steal cable, it could cost you your liberty or your life.”