Reported incidents of copper cable theft on rise in North West

Believed to be orchestrated by organised crime groups, the direct threat to UK infrastructure is being driven by the sustained high price of copper, which hit £7,700 per tonne on 25 September: the highest recorded price since April 2024.

There have been six key incidents reported in the North West of England since 14 September, duly impacting energy, transport, utilities and renewables infrastructure. For example, a site in Bolton was targeted for 33 kV copper cable valued at just under £500,000. Meanwhile, the theft of a significant quantity of string cable from a solar farm near Preston reduced the site’s energy output by around 40%, in turn risking local power supply.

Back in August, cable theft from the rail network in Wigan resulted in widespread passenger disruption and estimated losses to the UK economy of more than £1 million.

High rates of offending 

Rachael Oakley, head of crime intelligence at DeterTech, explained: “The substantial price of copper is driving high rates of offending across all forms of critical infrastructure. In order to protect energy, utilities, transport and renewable infrastructure, it’s imperative that fence lines are checked regularly, surveillance cameras are functioning correctly and that dedicated alarm monitoring operations are properly equipped to deal with the threats posed.”

Critical infrastructure providers, and particularly so those with sites in the North West of the UK, are urged to audit site security plans and consider taking additional steps to deter unwanted attention from organised crime groups.

The current intelligence picture points toward an ongong direct threat to infrastructure, with implications for asset loss, service disruption, regulatory penalties and public safety.

Reporting theft

Operators are reminded to continue reporting all incidents of theft, suspicious vehicles and hostile reconnaissance to DeterTech and Opal (the national police intelligence unit focused on serious organised acquisitive crime). Report any incidents via e-mail to [email protected] or [email protected]

*For more information on organised crime trends and proven strategies for crime deterrence and prevention visit www.detertech.com