NZ Herald Morning Headlines | Tuesday, June 23, 2026.
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Wellington thieves trying to profit from the booming scrap copper market are putting their lives on the line targeting railway cables, authorities have warned.
KiwiRail has reported soaring incidents of theft in recent months, causing widespread disruption to the network.
Just last week Wellington was plunged into commuter chaos aftermorning train services from Porirua had to be paused when thieves were spotted trying to pinch cables from a tunnel.
“People are stealing signals, cables and overhead lines, all of which are crucial components on the railway operation,” Wellington metro general manager Andy Lyon said.
“They are putting themselves at enormous risk by interfering with live equipment,” he said.
In April, services on the Hutt Valley line were forced to a halt six times as a result of stolen equipment, and more than 50 services experienced delays.
On the Wairarapa line, 5km of cable has gone missing over the past six months, costing KiwiRail hundreds of thousands of dollars, the organisation said.
KiwiRail has reported soaring incidents of theft in recent months, causing widespread disruption to the network. Photo / RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
“There is the obvious cost of replacing stolen equipment, but theft of this nature typically leads to serious disruption while we reinstall equipment and test systems before getting core rail services back up and running,” Lyon said.
Hutt Valley Police Inspector Shaun Lingard said “anyone that interferes with live railway cabling is putting themselves at risk of serious harm through electrocution.”
“Railway cabling is thought to be targeted due to the copper content and the increasing scrap value of copper, however, the return is low for such a high-risk activity, and it really costs the whole community when cable is stolen.”
Scrap copper prices have increased sharply in recent years, with metals recycling company Endless describing the prices as “soaring” due to global demand.
Earlier this month, RNZ reported 15 electric vehicle charger locations had been the target of copper cable theft.
Theft of copper and other metals to sell as scrap has almost tripled in the last three years, according to a 2025 police report.
