Cable Theft

josip · 29-05-2014 8:36am #1

I see that there were no Dart services this morning between Bray and Dalkey because some signal cable was stolen, presumably for its scrap metal value. That's a lot of people inconvenienced and a lot of work hours lost. Is there anything realistically that Irish Rail can do to prevent this? There's a lot of remote track around the country. Wouldn't the break in the circuit have caused an alarm in a monitoring system. If anyone had been monitoring overnight, a call to the guards would have been able to identify the section?

whisky_galore · 29-05-2014 9:10am

Replace cable with other less attractive material. That's about it.
Scrap metal gangs are running rings around the law.

vicwatson · 29-05-2014 9:14am

Its quite crazy, ive heard from an esb guy that these lunatics are robbing electric cables too.

whisky_galore · 29-05-2014 10:46am

vicwatson wrote: »

Its quite crazy, ive heard from an esb guy that these lunatics are robbing electric cables too.

Any non ferrous metal and steel (remember Campile?) is sprouting legs. Everything from church bells to roadside art, most of it done barefaced in broad daylight. It's getting to be a real headache for preserved lines in the uk with thefts.
Unoccupied houses are being stripped of lead, Woodlawn House that was covered by cctv and watched by neighbours got hit not so long ago.

roundymac · 29-05-2014 11:02am

It's not just here it's happening, the UK are having a bad time with it as well.

Judgement Day · 29-05-2014 11:25am

CIE/IE have an abysmal record when it comes to securing its (our) property whether from vandalism (graffiti etc.) or theft.

whisky_galore · 29-05-2014 11:33am

I don't there's much you can do to protect things from a determined organised gang, apart from posting armed guards within sight of each other all over the country 24/7. This crime didn't really exist before the huge rise in the price of metals. The buying and selling of scrap should be tightened up, stamp out the scope for criminality at the money-making point, but Revenue/Govt are more interested in shaking down soft targets.

tf2 · 29-05-2014 11:39am

But why are the scrap metal dealers accepting this stuff? Must be clear as day from a) a big batch of ESB/Eircom/Dart cable and b) the sort of person dropping it off in their transit/hiace that the stuff is stolen??

whisky_galore · 29-05-2014 11:44am

tf2 wrote: »

But why are the scrap metal dealers accepting this stuff? Must be clear as day from a) a big batch of ESB/Eircom/Dart cable and b) the sort of person dropping it off in their transit/hiace that the stuff is stolen??

Unless someone is banging at the door wanting their stuff back, dealers, esp the more disreputable ones just don't care.

I got rid of some metal (my own I might add!) not so long ago, all I was asked for was name, address, ph no and vehicle reg, all of which can be faked and can get cash in hand that same day.

dublinman1990 · 29-05-2014 1:07pm

According to RTE News, I read that the delay was due to a piece of cable that was stolen from a signal near Shankill DART Station.

Here is Irish Rail's response to it after the earlier disruption this morning.

http://www.irishrail.ie/news/signal-cable-theft-no-trains-bray-to-dalkey-limited-service-dalkey-to-dun-laoghaire

Judgement Day · 29-05-2014 4:27pm

tf2 wrote: »

But why are the scrap metal dealers accepting this stuff? Must be clear as day from a) a big batch of ESB/Eircom/Dart cable and b) the sort of person dropping it off in their transit/hiace that the stuff is stolen??

Because if they ask too many questions their supply of material will dry up. I'm sure that some of the big time gangs even send the stuff out of the country to avoid detection.

Fred Swanson · 29-05-2014 7:33pm

This post has been deleted.

Judgement Day · 29-05-2014 8:40pm

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Nobody wants to have a clue - I'm sorry but I have (tons) of experience in this area.

end of the road · 29-05-2014 9:59pm

the preserved railways should use hidden electric fenses, gang tries to break in to steal, vum!!!!!!!!

Cookie_Monster · 29-05-2014 11:03pm

i thought they didn't every turn off the DART cable current exactly to prevent this kind of thing.

LXFlyer · 29-05-2014 11:27pm

This would have been the signalling cables not the overhead wires.

Atlantic Dawn · 29-05-2014 11:31pm

Nothing can be done, this type of theft is traditional for some "ethnic minorities", it's cultural, how dare anyone question it you are all racists.

Jamie2k9 · 30-05-2014 2:54am

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Nothing can be done, this type of theft is traditional for some "ethnic minorities", it's cultural, how dare anyone question it you are all racists.

Your are right however measures can be taken to reduce the risk of such problems.

josip · 30-05-2014 1:23pm

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Your are right however measures can be taken to reduce the risk of such problems.

Yes, however must of the measures suggested on boards in the past have resulted in bans.
Tighter regulation and policing of dealers seems to be the only option.

C4Kid · 30-05-2014 11:18pm

If only all communities were as concerned about theft of railway items as a certain town served on the disused Midleton - Youghal line. Took a walk around and took some snaps a few year's ago on a spin to Youghal.

Turns out my car had been reported as they somehow thought I was removing lengths of track using my vw Golf as a lifting train!

sporty56 · 31-05-2014 10:50pm

In several countries this problem has been sorted by Government obliging scrap dealers to only pay for scrap brought to the depot by electronic transfer to customers account.

whisky_galore · 31-05-2014 11:16pm

sporty56 wrote: »

In several countries this problem has been sorted by Government obliging scrap dealers to only pay for scrap brought to the depot by electronic transfer to customers account.

Our govt, using logic? Perish the thought!

Cable Theft

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