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Valencia Police Arrest Pair in Rail Copper Thefts That Delayed 165 Trains

Investigators say the suspects stripped cable in manhole ovens to prepare it for sale.

Overview

  • National Police detained a 21-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman in Valencia as suspected perpetrators of robbery with force from railway infrastructure and placed them before judicial authorities.
  • Officers recovered 76 kilograms of copper and the van allegedly used in the thefts, with the seized material identified by the victims.
  • The investigation began on October 6 after a patrol found burned cable in a van and later located improvised burning sites inside manholes used to remove insulation.
  • Police report the thieves cut perimeter fencing with bolt cutters to take signalling cable, leading to more than 86 hours of accumulated delays, 165 trains affected, and roughly €33,000 in damage.
  • In a separate case in León, the Guardia Civil detained three people after seizing 1,460 kilograms of copper in a van, and the origin of the haul remains under investigation.