Update: Family of cable thieves who cost Network Rail more than £1 million jailed for 12 years

The British Transport Police led the two-year investigation into the gang of men responsible for more than 35 thefts across Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Nottingham and Yorkshire during an 11-month period in 2013.

The gang members all pleaded guilty to plotting to steal cable from the railway line on 37 occasions between February 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013.

They were sentenced to a total of 12 years in jail for conspiracy to steal railway cable at Lincoln Crown Court yesterday.

They were: Brian Derrick Smith, 36, of Millfield Lane, Stainforth; Malcolm Isaac, 42, of Thames Road, Grantham; Philip Smith, 25, of New Park Estate, Stainforth, Doncaster; Gordon Geoffrey Smith, 46, of Ramskir View, Doncaster; Charles Aaron Smith, 31, of Eastfield Lane, Grantham and Craig Paul Smith, 27, of Holly Street, Lincoln.

A seventh man, Jaime Beardmore, 23, of Brunswick Street, Thurnscoe, Rotherham, received a 12-month suspended sentence for two years.

The court heard how they had targeted three major rail improvement projects being delivered by Network Rail, and stole signalling cable, which had been installed but not yet commissioned as part of the projects. They then stripped the cabling and sold the copper inside.

The locations they targeted included Oakham, Boston, Ancaster, Sleaford, Digby, Saxondale, Grantham, Spalding, Reepham, Fiskerton, Beckingham, Market Rasen, Gainsborough, Lowdham, Burton Joyce and Nottingham, and Haxey in South Yorkshire and Whitby in North Yorkshire.

The total cost to Network Rail to replace the cabling stolen at each location was valued at £1,054,099.

The men were arrested as part of Operation Motion in dawn raids at their home addresses on March 19, 2014, following a covert operation.

The investigation into the gang’s activities secured evidence from various sources, linking all seven to each other and to the crimes and led to the seizure of two of their vans and a quad bike, as well as hydraulic cutting equipment.

Property seized at their homes, including bolt coppers, disk cutters, grinders, hacksaws, cable sheathing and a off-road bike also provided invaluable evidence which when shown to the group, gave them no option but to plead guilty.

“The gang targeted areas of the rail network which were remote and difficult to access without knowledge.” said Detective Inspector Mick Dawes, who headed up the Operation Motion.

“They travelled the country in what was a well-planned and organised operation.

“Through working closely with industry colleagues, we tracked them down and brought them before the courts today.

“Cable theft costs the rail industry millions of pounds each year, causing delays and increases in costs to projects which have a knock-on effect on passengers.

“We take this type of crime extremely seriously and we will do all we can to bring offenders to justice.

“The gang will now spend a considerable amount of time in prison and these sentences should act as a deterrent to others who seek to profit from cable theft.

“I would like to take his opprtunity to thank our partners within the railway industry for their support and co-operation with this investigation.”

Hayley Bull, community safety manager at Network Rail, said: “This case demonstrates just how costly cable theft from the railway can be. Trespassing onto the network for any reason is extremely dangerous and as this case shows, it can end up costing the taxpayer huge sums of money to put right, as well as causing immense disruption for passengers trying to go about their daily lives and delays to improvement work intended to create a more reliable railway. We are continually developing better ways to protect the network from cable thieves and will continue to work with the British Transport Police to prosecute anyone caught carrying out such a mindless act of vandalism.”

Brian Smith was sentenced to three years and four months; Malcolm Isaac to two years and eight months; Philip Smith to 12 months; Gordon Smith to one year and two months; Charles Smith to one year and two months; and Craig Smith to two years and eight months.

Beardmore had conspiracy charges dropped to just one count of theft for which he was sentenced to a 12-month suspended sentence for two years. He must also serve 100 hours of community service, and is subject to a 12-month supervision order.