Police investigating an attempted cable theft from the Metro line have released the image of two men they would like to trace.
Commuters faced significant disruption on Friday, June 21st after considerable damage was caused to cables near Palmersville Metro Station.
Offenders made their way onto the tracks in the early hours of the morning and cut through a power cable, before leaving the scene empty-handed.
This resulted in the line between South Gosforth and Monkseaton being closed for a number of hours.
As part of their enquiries, police have identified two men they would like to speak to in connection with the damage.
They were seen in the area at the time of the incident and could have valuable information that could assist officers.
The men, or anyone who recognises them, are asked to contact 101 quoting reference 416 210619 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
What did the officials say?
Sergeant Tim Hand, of Northumbria Police's Metro Unit, said:
“We always take this type of incident very seriously and we are now asking the men pictured, or anyone who knows them, to come forward and assist with our investigation.
“I would like to reiterate the very real dangers of interfering with live cables on the tracks. Offenders are handling live wires, which can cause severe burns or potentially fatal injuries.
“These types of offences can cause a huge amount of disruption to passengers, so we are eager to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.
“We have increased patrols in the area and will continue to work with our partners at Nexus to identify those involved.”
Customer Services Director at Nexus, Huw Lewis, said:
“I urge anyone with any information to come forward. We are offering a £1,000 reward for information that leads to the thieves being caught.
“Cable theft causes a huge amount of disruption to our customers as it halts Metro services while we carry out repairs. Metro runs on high voltage power so anyone who attempts to cut through trackside cables risks being seriously injured or killed.”
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