Railway Copper Theft

Theft of copper from Dutch railways decreased in 2012 because of the deployment of special intervention teams, according to the annual report of the Dutch railway administrator ProRail. The specially equipped teams consist of extraordinary investigators situated in railway areas which are high-risk for copper theft. The police-trained men and women are allowed to arrest thieves and to use appropriate violence if needed when they catch thieves in the act. Nu.nl reports that copper theft has decreased by more than 40 percent in the areas where the teams operate. In 2012, there was an average of 31 thefts per month, which added up to 366 per year. In 2011, this number was 515.