Two men caught stripping thousands of pounds worth of cable under a railway arch in East London have been jailed. Gintaras Viktus (40), of no fixed abode, and Alvynas Lazauskas (53), of Meath Road, Stratford, were found guilty and sentenced on Thursday, April 19 at Blackfriars Crown Court.
During their trial, the court heard how BTP officers discovered the pair under railway arches next to Carr Street and Repton Street in Limehouse on Wednesday, 7 December, stripping reams of copper cable. There was also three drums of railway cable waiting to be stripped of its valuable copper core, later identified as stolen Network Rail railway cable.
They were arrested and charged later that night with handling stolen goods. Officers seized the stolen cable, which was estimated to be worth around £12,000.
After a committal hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, both men pleaded not guilty to handling stolen goods and a trial began on Monday, April 16 at Blackfriars’ Crown Court. A jury found the duo guilty of handling the stolen cable and they were jailed by His Honour Judge Hillen. Viktus was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, less 73 days already spent in custody for a separate offence committed whilst on remand. Lazauskas received 12 months’ imprisonment, less 133 days already spent inside.
Detective Inspector Nick Brook, part of the BTP investigating team, said: “I hope the sentences handed down to this pair send a stark warning to others seeking to profit from stealing from the railway.
“Viktus and Lazauskas were caught red-handed with reams of cable, giving no excuse other than they were stripping it for cash. Their not guilty plea did not weigh up and they were convicted by a majority verdict from the jury.
“Stealing railway cable is incredibly dangerous, and anyone seeking to do so risks serious injury – or even death – through electrocution, all for a significantly small profit. Additionally, it affects every single train passenger because services can be ground to a halt when cable is taken.
“We’re clamping down on metal thieves, and with our increased use of technology and specialist operations in key hotspots, we’re arresting and prosecuting more metal thieves than ever before.
“We’ll also continue to have a high-visibility presence, including officers patrolling on foot, in vehicles and with police dogs, to catch and deter criminals.”
Dave Ward, Anglia route managing director for Network Rail, said: “Cable theft is costing the rail industry almost £20 million a year, which is money we would otherwise spend on improving and maintaining our railway.
“It’s a huge issue and one which all affected industries are committed to tackling – but we can’t do it alone. We’re working across the rail industry and with others, including BT and other utilities companies, to try and get changes to the laws governing scrap metal dealers. The police must also be given the powers they need to shut down the rogue scrap dealers who are profiting from the travelling public’s misery.”
