More copper theft chaos

Italian rail travellers have faced unexpected delays in recent weeks because of an increase in the theft of copper wire along train tracks.

Hundreds of trains in Rome and Turin have been delayed for at least 30 minutes as signalling equipment and safety devices have become disabled. . .

The price of copper has tripled in the past three years, making it an attractive commodity for thieves.

Usually operating at night, they have been tearing up miles of copper wire running along rail tracks.

From the BBC. Apparently many of the thieves are Romanian, and the copper is being sent to China -- though China has had its own problems in this regard. Previous scrap metal theft posts here and here.

Posted by David on November 13, 2006 8:58 PM