KiwiRail says a suspected copper cable theft caused a signalling outage and evening delays on Wellington’s Hutt Valley Line, with Metlink replacing services with buses for emergency maintenance, RNZ reports. The incident follows a recent attempted cable theft that halted Wellington trains and a wider surge in copper thefts nationwide.
Wellington Metro general manager Andy Lyon said the firm was working with police and warned that stolen or damaged copper used in signalling and other safety systems can disrupt passengers and freight. Interfering with live railway cabling also risks serious injury, he said. Copper theft is hitting transport, electricity and telecoms operators across New Zealand.
Source: RNZ