Two arrested following cable theft in south London

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A man and woman have been arrested on suspicion of theft of cable after an investigation was launched by British Transport Police.

Detectives swiftly arrested the pair after 65m of signalling cable was cut and stolen from the rail line in Bermondsey in the early hours of Tuesday, 6 September 2011.

The incident caused widespread disruption to the network with 146 trains cancelled, 129 trains started or ended their journeys early, 840 trains delayed, totalling in 11,000 minutes of delays to services.

The pair, a 39-year-old woman and 44-year-old man, both from the south east London area are currently being questioned following the incident which was reported to police at 2.48am.

Detective Chief Inspector Alison Palmer said;

“Thanks to vital information received from the public, two people have been arrested and are currently remanded in custody whilst officers continue the investigation.

“We are very grateful for the public-spirited actions of the community who have given us some vital information in relation to the serious offences that caused so much disruption.

“However we remain conscious that there are unscrupulous individuals who will still seek to steal metal, whether from the railway or other public utilities, and continue our activities to prevent offences occurring and target those who undertake such activity.

“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 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.”

Robin Gisby, Network Rail managing director of network operations, said:

“The actions of the mindless thieves who stole cable from the track approaching one of Britain’s busiest stations delayed hundreds of trains and caused major disruption for thousands of people.

“Cable theft continues to be a huge issue and one which the rail industry is committed to tackling – but we can’t do it alone.

“Members of the public can play a vital role by being extra eyes and ears to help catch cable thieves and we need to see the toughest possible sentences for those caught to reflect the seriousness of the crimes.”

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.

Anyone with information can call British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 37 of 6/09/2011. Or call the independent charity, Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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