Man charged over alleged copper thefts from train lines

A man has been arrested after about 1.5km of copper cable was allegedly stolen from train lines in Melbourne's northwest.

A man has been arrested after about 1.5km of copper cable was allegedly stolen from train lines in Melbourne‘s northwest.

Police launched a joint operation into the alleged thefts in June after missing and damaged cables were reported near railway stations in Sunshine, Ginifer and St Albans.

The investigation culminated in the arrest of a 37-year-old St Albans man near the St Albans railway station on July 26, according to a Victoria Police spokeswoman.

“The St Albans man has been charged with four counts of theft, three counts of criminal damage, going equipped and commit indictable offence whilst on bail,” she said.

About 1.5km of cabling was allegedly stolen from the stations on dates in June and July.

A spike in copper wiring theft across Victoria is causing power outages and even delaying the handover of land, new homes or entire neighbourhoods.

Powercor’s protective security group manager, Michael Hayes, said thefts have caused more than $3 million in damage to the network over the past three years.

The thefts has been most prominent around the western part of the state, particularly around Melton, Brookfield, Truganina and Tarneit, but also further west at Bacchus Marsh and the wider Ballarat area.

Wyndham’s mayor, Peter Maynard, warned cable thefts is causing “significant disruption” to the community.

“We are concerned to see that the trend of theft of underground power cables has increased over the past three years — and is continuing to do so,” he said.

The accused man was bailed to appear before the Sunshine Magistrates’ Court on August 18.