THE number of arrests for metal theft on the railway in the North-East has gone up, according to British Transport Police (BTP).

It said that in the six months to October this year police had made 171 arrests – a 27 per cent increase on the 135 that were made during the same period last year.

The force is taking part in another national day of action tomorrow when it will join with a number of other partner agencies to take practical steps to tackle the problem, which causes millions of pounds of damage and thousands of hours of delays each year.

A number of different organisations – among them police, Network Rail and MPs – are pushing for the law to be updated to make it harder to sell on stolen metal to scrap yards.

*Two men were this week jailed at Newcastle Crown Court for handling stolen railway cable.

Lee Dunn, 25 from Palmerston Walk, Redheugh, Gateshead, and Colin Brown, 27, from Wilberforce Walk, Redheugh, Gateshead, were arrested by police after a member of the public reported seeing them carrying large white bags containing railway cable near a stretch of the East Coast Mainline on Tyneside.

Dunn, who already had a conviction for stealing heavy duty padlocks from track sidings, was jailed for three years after admitting handling stolen goods as well as unconnected offences of burglary and going equipped.

Brown was jailed for 19 months. He admitted the cable handling and burglary. Both men were already serving suspended sentences when they were caught.