Soaring toll of South Yorkshire railway cable thefts

Criminals taking advantage of high metal prices caused 2,700 hours of delays, Network Rail figures reveal.

And attacks on the rail infrastructure for the year ending April were up nearly 50 per cent on the previous 12 months.

Route director Richard Lungmuss said: “These criminal acts have to stop. Every day passengers and essential freight deliveries upon which our economy relies are being delayed by thieves looking to make a quick buck at our expense.

“Since the start of the new financial year we have had a further 20 attacks in South Yorkshire causing more than 220 hours delay and costing a further £1.1 million.

“I cannot over-emphasise just how serious these crimes are. Cable thieves deny passengers the service they rightly expect and, through the massive cost to the industry, deny everyone improvements to rail services.”

Anyone with information about cable theft should contact BTP on 0800 405040 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Rewards of up to £1,000 could be payable on conviction.

There’s still time to enter our Midnight Music competition to win a recording session with Jay Mya and the chance to perform your original track LIVE at the pre-event party before the Midnight Walk on June 18, the biggest fund-raising event of the year for Rotherham Hospice. Click here for details.