£1000 reward as police appeal to identify suspects of attempted cable theft in North Tyneside

Commuters faced huge disruption on Friday, June 21 2019, after considerable damage was caused to cables near Palmersville Metro Station.

Offenders made their way onto the tracks in the early hours of the morning and cut through a power cable, before leaving the scene empty-handed.

This resulted in the line between South Gosforth and Monkseaton being closed for a number of hours as engineers rectified the problem.

As part of their enquiries, Northumberia Police have identified two men they would like to speak to in connection with the damage. They were seen in the area at the time of the incident and could have valuable information that could assist officers.

Sergeant Tim Hand, of Northumbria Police’s Metro Unit, said: “We always take this type of incident very seriously and we are now asking the men pictured, or anyone who knows them, to come forward and assist with our investigation.

“I would like to reiterate the very real dangers of interfering with live cables on the tracks. Offenders are handling live wires, which can cause severe burns or potentially fatal injuries.

“These types of offences can cause a huge amount of disruption to passengers, so we are eager to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.”

Anyone who recognises them can contact 101 quoting reference 416 210619.