Police in Valencia have arrested a 21-year-old male and a 20-year-old woman for allegedly stealing copper wiring from train stations. Over €33,000 worth of damage was done to 165 commuter, regional, and long-distance trains because of the thefts.
The accused were using improvised ovens in sewers to burn the copper cable so they could sell it later. During the operation, 76 kilogrammes of copper and the van that was utilised in the thefts were found.
The inquiry started on October 6th, when officers from the public safety unit caught a few people messing with the inside of a van. The suspects ran away and hid in adjacent houses when they saw the cops. The authorities found a lot of charred cable in the van and then took both the van and the wire.
The Provincial Brigade of the Judicial Police of Valencia took over the investigation and found a hose at the site of the operation that led to two sewers. They found scorched cable and walls covered in soot inside. This helped them prove that the people they thought were guilty had built a makeshift furnace to burn off the plastic coating on the copper, making it easier to strip and sell, which made it harder to identify.
The investigation led to the identification of a man and a woman. Reports from the past showed that a robbery had taken place days before on the train route between the València-La Font de Sant Lluís and València-Cabanyal stations.
The suspects are said to have gotten into the railway facilities by breaking through the security fence with bolt cutters to steal copper cable, notably the line that powers the signalling equipment. This crime caused certain signals to go out and the switches to stop working. It created delays of more than 86 hours and affected 165 trains. The damage is estimated to be €33,567.
In the end, the National Police caught the people who were involved and found 76 kilogrammes of cable, which the victims were able to identify. The people who were arrested are suspected of committing aggravated burglary and have been taken before the courts.Police in Valencia have arrested a 21-year-old male and a 20-year-old woman for allegedly stealing copper wiring from train stations. Over €33,000 worth of damage was done to 165 commuter, regional, and long-distance trains because of the thefts.
The accused were using improvised ovens in sewers to burn the copper cable so they could sell it later. During the operation, 76 kilogrammes of copper and the van that was utilised in the thefts were found.
The inquiry started on October 6th, when officers from the public safety unit caught a few people messing with the inside of a van. The suspects ran away and hid in adjacent houses when they saw the cops. The authorities found a lot of charred cable in the van and then took both the van and the wire.
The Provincial Brigade of the Judicial Police of Valencia took over the investigation and found a hose at the site of the operation that led to two sewers. They found scorched cable and walls covered in soot inside. This helped them prove that the people they thought were guilty had built a makeshift furnace to burn off the plastic coating on the copper, making it easier to strip and sell, which made it harder to identify.
The investigation led to the identification of a man and a woman. Reports from the past showed that a robbery had taken place days before on the train route between the València-La Font de Sant Lluís and València-Cabanyal stations.
The suspects are said to have gotten into the railway facilities by breaking through the security fence with bolt cutters to steal copper cable, notably the line that powers the signalling equipment. This crime caused certain signals to go out and the switches to stop working. It created delays of more than 86 hours and affected 165 trains. The damage is estimated to be €33,567.
In the end, the National Police caught the people who were involved and found 76 kilogrammes of cable, which the victims were able to identify. The people who were arrested are suspected of committing aggravated burglary and have been taken before the courts.
Author: Derek Appleton
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