Less stolen copper in 2013

Last year’s figures show a significant drop in the amount of stolen copper cable along Belgium’s rail system. Reports for 2013 indicate a drop of 40% over the 2012 numbers. Belgian Railways, the Federal Railway Police, and the Belgian rail infrastructure company Infrabel, say that the dramatic reduction in copper thefts is the direct result of a stepped-up campaign targeting thieves.

A growing issue for years, the problem climaxed in 2012 with 1,362 reported thefts, prompting action from authorities.

New initiatives were put in place that saw the installation of cameras along rail lines, copper cables were buried in various locations, and aluminium was used as a replacement to valuable copper. These measures, including increased security along the rails, harsher sentencing for stealing copper and the end of cash payments for copper, have led thefts to decline to only 810 in 2013.