A CAMPAIGN to combat cable thieves has been launched in Chester.

The region-wide initiative by Network Rail involves signage being placed at the trackside, warning would-be thieves SmartWater forensic spray devices are now in use.

Once activated, the non-hazardous devices will douse offenders in a chemically coded liquid, which will cover their skin, clothing and hair.

This can be used to link them back to a particular crime scene, long after the offence has taken place. Any traces of SmartWater can be detected using UV lights, which are regularly used by the police.

Jo Kaye, Network Rail’s route director, said: “Cable theft is a massive drain on our resources and a major inconvenience to train operators, their passengers and freight.

“Since it first became a significant problem for us in 2006, trains across the UK have been delayed by 1.1m minutes. Britain relies on rail and all those lost minutes have a significant effect on people’s lives, with them being late for work, missing appointments and it eating into their leisure time. Companies that transport goods by train are being deterred from using the rail network and we run the risk that they may put more lorries on already overcrowded roads.”

She added: “As well as the inconvenience to passengers and freight customers, cable theft has cost the company over £35m in compensation and damage repairs since 2006.”