Detectives appeal following cable theft attempt leads to severe rail disruption

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British Transport Police (BTP) is appealing for information after thieves attempted to steal cable from the rail line near to Guildford station.

BTP officers attended the scene after Network Rail reported signal failure caused by an attempted cable theft on the main London to Portsmouth line, near to Guildford station, at 3.28am yesterday morning (Monday, 12 September).

Detective Chief Inspector Alison Evans said;

“Officers attended the scene, which is close to the A3000 between Farncombe and Guildford, and upon arrival, discovered that a cable had been cut and there was some leakage of hydraulic fluid.

“This outage also meant that some level crossing barriers in the area were stuck in the down position.”

The incident caused widespread disruption to the rail network.

DCI Alison Evans continued;

“This attempted theft of cable caused considerable disruption to services. Cable theft is a major problem on the rail system and BTP is devoting considerable resources to combating it.

“We have arrested a number of people recently and the courts are handing out heavy sentences to thieves.

“However, these incidents continue to occur and we are looking at new ways, particularly by making it much more difficult for thieves to dispose of stolen metal, to deal with it.

“The act of stealing, or attempting to steal, cable is extremely dangerous and anyone who has any information about the incident, or who saw any suspicious activity in the area is asked to come forward.

“What thieves don’t realise is that they are working on live cable, carrying up to 750 volts which can cause extensive burns or is enough to kill. By attempting to steal it they are seriously putting their lives at risk.

“BTP have a dedicated team of officers who work proactively with Network Rail and train operating companies to counteract the delays and discomfort passengers suffer when thieves target the essential resources that keep the trains running.

“Metal theft, and attempted metal theft causes significant disruption to rail services and that means real consequences for real people – missed business meetings, family celebrations and important appointments for instance. And that’s not to mention the huge financial costs to the rail industry and the dangers to the thieves themselves.”

Richard O’Brien, Network Rail’s route managing director for Wessex, said:

“Mindless thieves have again caused delays and disruption for thousands of people who use this busy commuter route every day.

“Cable theft is a huge issue and one which the rail industry is committed to tackling– but we can’t do it alone. We need to see tougher sentences for cable thieves in the courts and the police must be given the powers they need to shut down the scrap dealers who are profiting from the travelling public’s misery.”

Officers are continuing to make enquiries into the incident and would particularly like to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time, or who has any information that may assist the investigation.

The independent charity Crimestoppers is offering a reward of up to £1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any cable thieves.

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