Sniffer dogs hunt down metal thieves causing 200 hours of delays on trains between Northampton and Milton Keynes

Specially trained sniffer dogs are being used to hunt down metal thieves who cause major delays to trains between Northampton and Milton Keynes.

Organised criminal gangs are increasingly targeting metal used in infrastructure and exploiting high metal prices.

Network Rail enlisted the canine recruits, provided by Search Dogs UK, to crack down on criminals who steal vital cables and materials from the railway and catch those who sell them on illegally.

They use a special spray to mark metal which dogs detect, leading police directly to any stolen supplies illegally on sale at scrap metal dealers.

Andrea Graham, head of crime and security for Network Rail’s North West and Central region, said: “Metal theft continues to cause huge problems for passengers and freight customers at a very significant cost to our business – which is of course funded by the taxpayer.

“We’re always looking at new ways to crack down on criminals and now we have man’s best friend on the case too.

"Our message to thieves who think they can steal from us is clear – we will find you and bring you to justice, because you’re not only putting your own life at risk by trespassing on the tracks, but also the lives of our passengers and staff.”

Network Rail figures showed 27 incidents of serious metal theft on the West Coast main line since 2017 led to nearly 200 hours of delays on the stretch of tracks including Northampton, Milton Keynes, Bletchley and Leighton Buzzard, and cost more than £1.5 million.

The total cost to the taxpayer across the whole country between 2017 and 2022 was nearly £16m and there were more than 330 thefts.

Superintendent Mark Cleland, British Transport Police national lead for metal crime, said: “We’re working with partners across the entire country and throughout the metals recycling industry to target those who we suspect of flouting the law or operating outside of their licence.

“By taking a multi-agency approach, we are maximising our ability to identify those who are attacking our national infrastructure, making it harder for them to sell stolen metal and gain from their activities.

"We’re warning would-be offenders that we will take action against them and anyone involved in the theft and trade of metal from the railway will be brought to justice.”

■ Anyone witnessing suspicious behaviour on or around the railway should report it to British Transport Police by calling 0800 405040 or texting 61016.