New system put in place to beat rail cable thieves

Jun 12 2010 by Lisa Hutchinson, The Journal

RAIL bosses are keeping one step ahead of cable crooks who target a North East line.

For the first time they have replaced parts of the overhead cable systems which feeds electricity to the Metro with lines not made from copper.

The announcement comes only days after an 18-year-old suspected thief was found on fire after it is believed he was trying to steal live electrical cable carrying 11,000 volts in from a disused premises in County Durham.

Thieves were routinely targeting the copper cables on the Sunderland line, from Fellgate to South Hylton, to sell for scrap, causing massive disruption for passengers and costing the industry tens of thousands of pounds.

Since April 2009 thieves have targeted the overhead systems on the Network Rail section of the Metro line 35 times. It has caused 2,250 minutes delay with compensation costs to train operators costing £33,000. Staff costs and cash to replace the cable are also estimated to be over £30,000.

The new cables – which are fully safety tested – are not made of copper and are worth considerably less as scrap. And bosses hope their new idea will put off thieves in their quest to make money.

Richard Lungmuss, route director for Network Rail, said: “This is a simple but, we hope, effective measure to deter the thieves who have been attacking our systems and so allow us to deliver the reliable service that passengers deserve.

“The theft of cable is a constant drain on our resources and cause of considerable disruption to rail services. This is not acceptable.

“I would also ask anyone with any information to report their suspicions to Crimestoppers – they could receive up to £1,000 as a reward.”

Nexus has recently used Smart Water to protect the cables on the Tyne and Wear Metro infrastructure it owns and manages on Tyneside. It is hoped that the two measures together will deter thieves from attacking the systems.

British Transport Police’s Det Insp Brian Buddo, who heads the team dedicated to tackling cable theft, said: “We have recently arrested and charged nine people in connection with the theft of overhead line equipment in the Sunderland area.

“Those who steal cable are not just risking a prison sentence, they are also risking serious injury and even their lives. Technological and forensic advances are increasing the opportunities for us to detect criminals and BTP will continue to work hard to catch and prosecute offenders in an effort to stamp out this problem.

“Local scrap dealers should also be aware that if they knowingly buy such stolen cable then they will be dealt with in a similarly severe manner.”

Anyone with information about cable thefts can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.