Copper theft causes five-hour train delays

British Transport Police are investigating an audacious theft of copper wire from signalling equipment on the East Coast Mainline on Saturday.

The theft, near Newark, Nottingham caused delays of about five hours, a Network Rail spokesman said.

Rail staff were forced to manually signal trains through the affected stretch of track between Grantham in Lincolnshire and Newark North Gate.

A spokesman for National Express, which operates trains on the line said: “Sadly this sort of theft has become a common occurrence over the past couple of years.”

Metal thefts from infrastructure and construction sites has shot up amid increasing raw materials costs. Police estimate that the practice costs the economy £360m a year.
11th Aug 2008