New official statistics released by Network Rail show a 67 per cent drop in the total number of cable thefts over the past year, following new Conservative measures to tackle this type of crime.
The figures show that there has also been a 54 per cent reduction in disruption to passenger journeys, which means just over 3,000 fewer hours of delays to hard-working people this year compared to the previous year. This also marks a three-year low.
Welcoming the news, Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, said: “It is great news that the rate of metal theft is falling steeply. The disruption this menace causes to commuters across South Staffordshire is unacceptable and it is right that the Government is tackling it.
“The news that train delays caused by metal theft are reducing is especially welcome. Because Conservatives are on the side of people who want to work hard and get on in life, we are taking action to crack down on the criminals who make the morning commute a nightmare.”
New Conservative measures to tackle metal theft were contained in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 that received Royal Assent in May 2012.
These included: removing ‘no questions asked’ cash payments which allowed unscrupulous traders to evade checks; increasing financial penalties, meaning illegal traders will now face fines of up to £5,000; and giving police new powers of entry to tackle illegal trading in metal yards.
The Government has also strengthened law enforcement activity, allocated £5 million of funding to a dedicated Metal Theft Taskforce, which has led to the arrest of over 500 people for metal theft related offences, and visited over 4,000 scrap metal dealers.