Pair jailed for theft of BT cable at Eccles
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Two thieves have been jailed after
stealing nearly 250m of BT cable by dragging it up from manhole
covers.
Bernard Prebble, 38, of no fixed
address, faces three years behind bars after admitting stealing the
cable, worth £4,180 in scrap value.
Fellow thief Colin Wray, also 38, of
Coldharbour Lane, Aylesford, must also serve three years, after
being found guilty by a Maidstone Crown Court jury.
The court heard how an eagle-eyed dog
walker spotted the cable in a field by Bull Lane, Eccles on the
morning of November 2 last year.
It had been dragged into the field
after being pulled up from two BT manhole covers and had been cut
into sections ready for transportation.
Police saw two men trying to run
away from the field.
Search teams found Prebble nearby with
a pair of cable cutters, while Wray was discovered in the
undergrowth.
DC Alan Poulton from Kent Police said:
"I hope that this result sends a tough message that metal theft
will not be tolerated.
"We are putting significant resources
around targeting metal theft and have organised many dedicated
operations to target this particular issue.
"Metal theft may seem a crime without victims, but it can have
devastating consequences and can cause widespread and serious
disruption.
"Stealing cabling can result in power
cuts, which could be catastrophic for hospitals and other emergency
service buildings, or leave homes and businesses without broadband,
or leave rail passengers to face significant delays."
Luke Beeson, BT’s general manager, for cable theft, said: "Metal
theft has a major impact on local communities, so it’s pleasing to
see offenders receiving proportionate sentences.
"It’s also great to see members of the
public helping to catch thieves by being vigilant and reporting
suspicious activity to the police. They can play a vital role in
helping combat this problem."
Friday, February 03 2012
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