Police plea for help after great train line robbery

POLICE were yesterday hunting thieves who stole 30 tons of line from a railway yard.

They are thought to have loaded the metal on to an articulated lorry in the middle of the night.

The theft happened at Aberdeen’s Kittybrewster Retail Park only weeks after the biggest cable theft from Scotland’s railways.

Police are still investigating that crime, which took place on nearby rail routes over a period of three days.

The latest theft is believed to have happened between 4am and 5am on Tuesday morning.

British Transport Police Constable Ashley Forbes said: ‘I am appealing for anyone who was in the area at the time, particularly pedestrians or taxi drivers, who may have noticed someone acting suspiciously to contact us.’

Officers have been looking at CCTV footage and carrying out door-to-door inquiries in the area in an attempt to identify the thieves.

The stolen rail line is believed to be worth about £5,000.

New laws came into force in England earlier this month to deter rogue traders who buy scrap metal for cash.

Scrap metal dealers face a fine of up to £5,000 if found guilty of trading with cash, and businesses now need to apply to their local council for a licence to operate.

Similar legislation is being considered by the Scottish Government.