Rail thieves risk lives

KiwiRail and NZ Police are urging members of the public to report suspicious behaviour around the rail corridor as incidents of theft soar in the Wellington Region, disrupting freight and commuter services. 

Wellington Metro General Manager Andy Lyon says theft around the Wellington network is a major problem, with a big cost to KiwiRail and the public.   

“People are stealing signals, cables and overhead lines, all of which are crucial components on the railway operation. They are putting themselves at enormous risk by interfering with live equipment."

During April, services on the Hutt Valley Line needed to be cancelled six times, and more than 50 services experienced delays as a result of stolen rail equipment, costing passengers time and money. 

As much as 5km of cable has gone missing from the Wairarapa alone in the past six months, and while the scrap cost is very low, the cost to replace these cables runs into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.  

“There is the obvious cost of replacing stolen equipment, but theft of this nature typically leads to serious disruption while we reinstall equipment and test systems before getting core rail services back up and running.   

“All this has a big knock-on effect for our commuters and freight customers, and ultimately the connectivity of our region.” 

KiwiRail takes all measures available to deter theft and works closely with Police. 

Inspector Shaun Lingard, Hutt Valley Area Prevention Manager for New Zealand Police says there is significant risk to the offenders when they attempt to steal equipment and trespass the rail corridor.

“Anyone that interferes with live railway cabling is putting themselves at risk of serious harm through electrocution. 

“Railway cabling is thought to be targeted due to the cooper content and the increasing scrap value of copper. However, the return is low for such a high-risk activity, and it really costs the whole community when cable is stolen.  

“Police encourage the public to report suspicious behaviour if it’s happening at the time to 111, or call and use the 105 service online if it's after the fact,” says Inspector Lingard.