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Feb08

More action against cable theft

| 08/02/12 | Categories: Railways, Safety/Security | by: A Sharp

Theft of metal - particularly copper - is a major problem for railways among others. Cut a signal cable and you stop trains!

As I have reported before, several protective measures are being implemented - physical and legal.

Among recent ones I have seen are:

copper thieves being charged with economic sabotage rather than just theft (in South Africa);

securing lineside infrastructure - anchoring and burying cables, and CCTV protection in vulnerable areas;

remote monitoring systems, new fences, new lighting, additonal security staff;

trembler alarms and hidden cameras;

helicopters with heat-detecting night vison cameras;

unbreakable casings;

smart water and tracking tags which cannot be removed - the former seems to be particularly effective, reducing the problem on one line by a fifth, but it's not cheap; and

requiring sellers of copper to present photo identification, and not paying them cash (although this might drive sales away from legitimate scrap dealers.

An obvious low-cost measure is briefing drivers and other railway staff to look out for suspicious lineside activity - unmarked vans near the line, people not in official high-visibility clothing around the railway.

Other ideas welcomed!

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Feb08

More action against cable theft

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