13.07.07
European crackdown on cable thieves
British Transport Police are joining forces with rail police from across Europe in a day of action on Tuesday, 10 July to target the theft of metals from the railway.
Police forces across Europe will be working in partnership on a number of operations to target metal thieves and crack down on copper cable theft from the railway. Cable and precious metal theft has become a growing concern and issue in a number of countries, including Britain, resulting in severe economic damage across numerous industries and businesses, including rail.
On 15 May 2007 Rail police chiefs from across Europe met in Venice to discuss the growing issue of trackside metal thefts and produce global solutions to tackling the crime. A European wide day of action was announced involving Railpol in countries such as Italy, Spain and Germany.
British Transport Police will be undertaking a number of operations nationally across the country.
Numerous operations will be taking place in the North East throughout the day, in Northumbria, Cleveland, South and West Yorkshire. These will involve officers targeting hotspot areas including lineside patrols, utilising off road police bikes and sniffer dogs.
ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) checks will also be in operation, used to link criminals to vehicles and vehicles to potential crime scenes. Operations also involve crime prevention work, intelligence led targeting of suspects and partnership working with agencies such as the DVLA ( Driving Vehicle Licensing Agency), VOSA (Vehicle and Operator Services Agency) - to utilise additional powers to stop and deter cable thieves, including road stops and crushing of seized vahicles - and the Environment Agency, using powers to arrest those found burning cable.
Covert and overt tactics using CCTV equipment will also be used.
BTP officers will undertake visits to scrap metal yards in the area to ensure dealers are aware of what to look for in identifying cable stolen from the rail network. Officers will check the books and inform the proprietors of the crackdown and consequences of handling stolen goods.
The Crown Prosecution Service and local magistrates are supportive of BTP efforts to highlight how disruptive cable theft is to the rail network and the serous impact it has on passengers. Recent court cases have resulted in a number of copper thieves being given heavy custodial sentences.
BTP have also delivered training to rail staff to ensure they are forensically aware when attending a crime scene or discovering stolen cable. 40 employees of Network Rail underwent a three day course delivered by BTP in order to equip then with basic skills to assist in preserving evidence and aid prosecutions.
Detective Chief Inspector Danny Snee said -
"After the threat of terrorism, the theft of cable is one of BTP’s biggest challenges. Those who steal cable are not just risking a prison sentence, they are risking their lives".
"This is an extremely dangerous crime which is costly to the rail industry and causes hours of delays to the thousands of passengers who rely on the rail network. Theft of this nature from the railway is an attack on the community; it disrupts people’s lives, passengers can miss holiday flights, business or social meetings due to inevitable delays caused".
"BTP has dedicated cable squads who undertake regular operations, including regular round the clock patrols targeted at hotspot crime areas throughout the North East. We are working hard to catch and prosecute culprits in an attempt to stamp out this problem".
"I would ask anyone with any information on who may be committing such crimes to contact British Transport Police in strict confidence on Freefone 0800 405040."
Dyan Crowther, Route Director for Network Rail, said: "The theft of cabling is an ongoing issue for all industries using copper cable, including the railway".
"Our failsafe system means that any cut cable turns all signals in the area to red and brings all nearby trains to a halt. Passengers are therefore not put at risk by cable theft, but they are massively inconvenienced by the delays it causes".
"We are working closely with British Transport Police (BTP) to prevent thefts and catch culprits and I would ask that anyone who sees people acting suspiciously around the railway reports it to BTP.”
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