Cable theft
‘The traceability of the individual is compromised, which means
the traceability of the material is compromised and the whole incidence of cash in the process creates situations where corrupt practices can take place.’ The maximum fine under current law is £1,000. But those
committing the crimes could make thousands of pounds. Some of the stolen metal is being laundered, going from the small local thief and backstreet traders to end up in containers owned by multinational companies. ‘Cable theft on the railways is seen as a low-risk, high- return activity,’ said Paul Crowther. The rail industry is asking for a robust licensing regime with clear requirements on scrap dealers to reduce the risk that the metal they buy is stolen. It wants police powers to close scrap dealers and search their premises. It also wants the trade to be restricted to cashless payments, with a requirement that scrap metal must be held for a period of time before being sold on, so that payments can be processed first.
Shadow transport minister John Woodcock said: ‘It is time
ministers took this issue seriously and addressed the root cause by making the sale of stolen metal much harder. They should now listen to Labour’s call for a tougher licensing regime for scrap metal dealers, a requirement for people selling scrap metal to prove their identity and more powers for the police to investigate metal thefts.’ The Association of Train Operating Companies commented:
‘Cable theft causes thousands of incidents of disruption every year. Criminals’ thoughtless actions lead to a significant number of delays and cancellations every week. The rail industry is working hard to tackle the organised gangs and opportunist thieves who are causing
the problems. We need tighter regulation on the sale of scrap metal and tougher sentences for offenders.’ Ian Hetherington, head of the British Metals Recycling
Association, said there were up to 900 illegal scrap dealers in the UK. The industry accepts that regulations need to be updated, but he said this would make no difference unless they were properly enforced by the police. ‘Frankly if existing law cannot be enforced, new law will not be enforced any better,’ he said. ‘I would not stand in the way of local policing, but it does produce
a proliferation of well-meaning and relatively short-lived policing initiatives. Our members are subject to a different set of criteria set out by the police in Manchester and Lancashire, as they are in Kent or in Norfolk. It is a very disjointed picture.’ The junior transport minister, Norman Baker, told Rail
Professional: ‘We’re looking at whether we have to introduce new laws. We don’t want to unless we have to, but we can’t have this loss to business and inconvenience to passengers. ‘We have to make sure that in taking action, we don’t simply move
the problem elsewhere. If it leads to people simply shipping stuff out in containers abroad and bypassing our metal recycling arrangements that will not solve the problem. So we have to look at this in the round, anticipating what the criminals might do if we shut down one particular avenue.’ Southern Railway managing director Chris Burchell
enthusiastically supports Baker’s comments. ‘This is a huge problem for the industry. It causes us a great deal of trouble and we are very keen that the government does something about it as soon as possible,’ he said.
Nexus, in partnership with North Tyneside Council and
Northumbria Police, has launched this poster in an attempt to cut theft on the Metro
website is updated daily Rail Professional’s
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n News updates throughout the month n Jobs DECEMBER 2011 PAGE 27
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