Police appeal for information following multiple cable thefts from Pelaw Metro Station

Thieves have targeted the tracks near Pelaw Metro Station twice in the last two weeks and on each occasion, have cut a length of cable before making off.

Police say that the thefts happened in the early hours of Monday, July 3, and Thursday, July 13.

An investigation into both thefts is ongoing, with officers working along Nexus to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

PC Nathan Duddridge, of Northumbria Police’s dedicated Metro unit, said: “This spate of thefts will not be tolerated and we are committed to ensuring anybody responsible is dealt with robustly.

“It is important 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.

“This type of offending also causes significant disruption for those in our communities who rely on the Metro – not to mention the cost of repairing the tracks.

“I am today asking for residents’ help as we continue to carry out enquiries into each theft. Please check any CCTV or doorbell footage, as well as dashcam footage if you’ve been driving in the area.

“If you see anything of interest, no matter how insignificant you feel it may be, we want to know about it. Your information could prove crucial to bringing these offenders to justice.”

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Kevin Storey, Metro Operations Director, has highlighted the dangers of tampering with trackside equipment on the Metro network.

He added: “We are working closely with the police to find these offenders and ask that anyone with information comes forward and reports it.

“In these two incidents in the Pelaw area, on 3 July and 13 July, our engineers were thankfully able to replace the stolen power cables in time for the start of the day’s Metro service.

“However, cable theft can and often does lead to disruption for the travelling public.

“It is dangerous to tamper with trackside equipment on the Metro network, which has high voltage power running through it, and the thieves are risking their lives by doing this.

“Anyone who gets caught stealing from rail networks faces prosecution and a possible prison sentence.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact police via the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of the Northumbria Police website or by calling 101 quoting crime number 087306H/23.