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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-northerner/2012/sep/25/scrap-metal-theft-chester-le-street-network-rail-durham-crown-court
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| Metal thieves used trains to slice cable into 'manageable lengths' | Metal thieves used trains to slice cable into 'manageable lengths' |
| (7 days later) | |
| Justice is catching up with some of the metal thieves whose miserable trade has been the subject of repeated posts on the Northerner – for example here , here and here. | Justice is catching up with some of the metal thieves whose miserable trade has been the subject of repeated posts on the Northerner – for example here , here and here. |
| A member of a gang which took risks with rail passengers' lives as well as their own has been given a year's jail for stealing 800 metres of cable – imagine that stretched out – from the East Coast main line near Chester-le-Street in county Durham. | A member of a gang which took risks with rail passengers' lives as well as their own has been given a year's jail for stealing 800 metres of cable – imagine that stretched out – from the East Coast main line near Chester-le-Street in county Durham. |
| Kevin Skelton, who is 21 and lives at Barley Mow near the scene of the theft, spent five successive nights ripping up stretches of the metal which was redundant but still in place by the tracks. Because it was big and heavy, weighing 276kg or more than quarter of a tonne, they then placed it across the line so that passing trains would slice it into "manageable strips." | Kevin Skelton, who is 21 and lives at Barley Mow near the scene of the theft, spent five successive nights ripping up stretches of the metal which was redundant but still in place by the tracks. Because it was big and heavy, weighing 276kg or more than quarter of a tonne, they then placed it across the line so that passing trains would slice it into "manageable strips." |
| This extreme form of our childhood practice (which no one should repeat) of putting old pennies on the track when the Royal Scot came steaming past, emerged at Durham Crown court where Skelton pleaded guilty to theft. Recorder Ray Singh was told that the operation had netted £300 for Skelton out of £1068 paid by a scrapyard and divided between the gang. | This extreme form of our childhood practice (which no one should repeat) of putting old pennies on the track when the Royal Scot came steaming past, emerged at Durham Crown court where Skelton pleaded guilty to theft. Recorder Ray Singh was told that the operation had netted £300 for Skelton out of £1068 paid by a scrapyard and divided between the gang. |
| In overall terms, meanwhile, the cost to Network Rail has been calculated at £4,748 and Recorder Singh did not take things lightly. He condemned the way that high metal prices were making such thefts attractive, even if Skelton was not in any sort of criminal big league. | In overall terms, meanwhile, the cost to Network Rail has been calculated at £4,748 and Recorder Singh did not take things lightly. He condemned the way that high metal prices were making such thefts attractive, even if Skelton was not in any sort of criminal big league. |
| In mitigation, lawyer Paul Cross pointed out that Skelton had given his real name when selling the cable for scrap, a process which is gradually getting harder for criminals as the industry tries, and is being pressed by the Government and others, to fill loopholes in its measures to establish the identity of customers. He gave a false address, but it did not take long for police to track him down to Barley Mow. | In mitigation, lawyer Paul Cross pointed out that Skelton had given his real name when selling the cable for scrap, a process which is gradually getting harder for criminals as the industry tries, and is being pressed by the Government and others, to fill loopholes in its measures to establish the identity of customers. He gave a false address, but it did not take long for police to track him down to Barley Mow. |
| "The idea it's some sort of sophisticated operation is far from the truth. He and his friends wander round the railway line looking for scrap," said Cross. But through such activities, public services, churches and other victims have come to grief. | "The idea it's some sort of sophisticated operation is far from the truth. He and his friends wander round the railway line looking for scrap," said Cross. But through such activities, public services, churches and other victims have come to grief. |
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