Cable / copper / metal theft - ongoing problems on the railways and elsewhere

[whole diary]

[trainer]

I liked the use of the Police Universal Doorkey.

Ha ha!    Perhaps PUD should go in the abbreviation list.

Seriously, though, if the suspects are found to have been the perpetrators it will be a step forward by the sound of the alleged extent of it.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the South Wales Argus:

Newport man jailed for metal theft

A Newport man was given a six-month sentence after admitting stealing specialist signalling equipment, belonging to Network Rail and worth ^12,000.

Paul Rudge, 39, of Maesglas Crescent, already had 24 previous convictions for theft and had appeared in court 35 times over the last 27 years for 69 offences.

At Cwmbran Magistrates^ Court yesterday, District Judge Richard Williams handed him the sentence, saying he hoped it would act as a deterrent to others who might consider metal thefts from the railways.

Prosecutor Lisa James told the court that Rudge was spotted at the National Rail depot at Crindau, Newport, at 10.45pm on December 7, running on the path around the perimeter fence. She said two lengths of cable totalling 14 metres had been cut off a reel, and a hacksaw, snapped hacksaw blade, rucksack, Stanley knife and rubber gloves were left nearby. Police dogs were sent after Rudge, and footprints were found in the mud which matched the trainers he was wearing.

Defence solicitor Paul Lewis said Rudge admitted the offence at the first opportunity. He had recently been released from hospital following an operation and took off when the affected area of his body became too painful.

In a statement, a Network Rail spokesman said the cable was specially designed to be used in signaling equipment and cost ^12,000. While it was all recovered, two lengths were cut off, meaning that to be used, joints would need to be placed in the these. If this is done, the loss to Network Rail will be ^6,000. However, for such specialist equipment, this is not desirable and the most likely outcome is that they will be scrapped.

Rudge must serve half of the six-month sentence.

Hmm.    Personal comment from me (and I tend not to make them, in the interests of impartiality):

Paul Rudge, 39, of Maesglas Crescent, already had 24 previous convictions for theft and had appeared in court 35 times over the last 27 years for 69 offences.

Does that not suggest that something has been missed, in the legal process of 'discouraging' such re-offending? 

[TonyK]

Does that not suggest that something has been missed, in the legal process of 'discouraging' such re-offending? 

My thoughts also. Three months in the slammer probably won't even deter him, let alone anyone else. The potential scrap value would be a fraction of the cost to NR^» (Network Rail - home page), and therefore us.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Wiltshire Times:

Man avoids jail over theft

The former manager at the Westbury Trackwork depot has avoided jail for stealing scrap railway lines.

Martin Wrighthouse admitted abusing his position at the yard, next to Westbury station, to arrange the theft.

But after hearing the tracks were scrap, a judge imposed a suspended sentence.

The 51-year-old took part in the theft with haulier Melvyn Bownes, 50.

Wrighthouse, formerly of Primrose Place, Westbury, but now living in Cheshire, and Bownes, of Worksop, Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to theft of the lengths of track, which belonged to Network Rail and were worth up to ^3,990, from the depot on December 22, 2011.

Passing sentence last Friday, Judge Douglas Field imposed a three-month jail term suspended for a year on Wrighthouse and ordered him to do 180 hours of community service. Bownes was put on a community service order and told to do 120 hours of unpaid work.

[grahame]

This subject seems to have gone quiet (good news or no longer newsworthy?) but I did come across this

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-33931602

Beavers cut Trans-Siberian Railway signal wiring

When signal wires were cut on Russia's Trans-Siberian Railway, police suspected metal thieves were to blame - but it turned out to be the work of beavers.

Transport police were called to a section of the famous trans-continental line in the southern Kemerovo region by railway staff, after the signalling system was knocked out, the local Kemerovo Independent City Site reports. "This often happens in remote areas, where criminals on the hunt for non-ferrous metals steal equipment or cut out sections of cables," the police say in a statement.

But after arriving at the scene and finding that the copper wiring had been severed but was still in place, officers realised they weren't really needed.....

[IndustryInsider]

Good news.  The number of cable theft incidents has reduced to a trickle from a torrent.

[Timmer]

Indeed, it appears the new laws have worked.

[JayMac]

That and the fact copper prices have been steadily falling for the past few years.

[TonyK]

Beavers cut Trans-Siberian Railway signal wiring

The Scout Movement isn't what it used to be, although they start them young in Russia.

[broadgage]

Both the falling price of copper and stricter laws regulating the scrap industry have helped, but I feel that another factor has helped reduce metal thefts from the railway, and from the electrical industry.

There has been IME^▸ (in my experience) a hardening of public attitudes towards scrap thieves who suffer injury or worse in pursuit of theft. I hear less of "oh dear those poor kids" and more of "serves em right, wont do that again" after thieves have been blown up.

Not far from here a thief was killed whilst stealing power cables and the reaction of those nearby was far from sympathetic.
Deliberately imposing capital punishment for theft is going a bit far, but if a thief is killed as a result of attempting to steal cables etc, then I for one have no sympathy whatsoever and might be tempted to laugh at their misfortune, and I would certainly hope that others would thereby be deterred.

I appreciate that the aftermath can be most unpleasant for the emergency services, and they have my sympathies for having to deal with it.
But for the thief I have no sympathies.

[IndustryInsider]

I have no sympathy for the thief either, but as with any death I do have sympathy for friends, family and those dealing with, or affected by, such an incident- especially railway related deaths which are often very unpleasant.

[broadgage]

Yes, I feel very sorry for those dealing with the aftermath, and depending on how charitable I was feeling I might have some sympathy for the family, but for the thief I think they got what they deserved.

[Electric train]

I have no sympathy for the thief either, but as with any death I do have sympathy for friends, family and those dealing with, or affected by, such an incident- especially railway related deaths which are often very unpleasant.

If you have ever been involved in clearing the mess up after these thieves visits or had whole project streams stopped dead (no pun intended) because systems have been so badly compromised you will not have much sympathy at all; yes it is always saddening when some one dies or is seriously injured, however in my experience these gangs are often family (and close friends) firms if they are not directly involved in the actual crime they are certainly knowledgeable about it and more than likely living off of the proceeds.  The scrap dealers where not whiter than white they turned a blind eye to the source of much of the copper turning up at the weigh bridge.

I am more concerned with the wellbeing of the Emergency Services that have to go an pick up the bits, the Railway staff who have to effect repairs and the reputational damage caused and costs incurred to the Railway Industry by these criminals.

[IndustryInsider]

Yes, I would agree that my sympathy levels would plummet should friends and family of such a death be 'in on the deal' in some way.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Man arrested over Caldercote signalling cable theft

A man has been arrested after signalling cable was stolen causing major rail disruption in and around Birmingham.

Fifty-nine trains were cancelled when eight metres of cabling was stolen on 29 March near Caldecote.

It caused delays of more than 19 hours at Birmingham New Street station, said British Transport Police.

A 29-year-old man from Nuneaton arrested on suspicion of theft has been released on bail.

Det Insp Gareth Davies from BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) said: "Our investigation into this theft is ongoing and we are still interested in hearing from anyone with any information about what happened."