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“We’re actively preventing thefts, saving significant time and cost. For us, what matters isn’t just the technology, it’s the overall solution – intelligence, rapid deployment and quality of service, so we can make decisions proactively and respond fast and effectively.”
Cable theft is one of the most disruptive and costly threats facing the rail sector. High copper prices make their cabling prime targets for both organised and opportunistic crime, while the extensive, rural nature of the railways makes detection extremely difficult. A single section cut could trigger massive costs and disruption, and due to the limit on the number of cable joins permitted, a far larger section might need to be replaced than the length removed.
The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is one of Britain’s largest rail investment projects – and also one of its biggest targets for theft. An incident or cluster of incidents could cost £1 million or more in direct cable loss and reactive security, but the figure could balloon even further due to project delays and regulatory fines. Preventing theft was and continues to be critical, both financially and operationally – especially as the programme is taxpayer funded. With the level of threat so high, what TRU needed was a proactive, scalable, and rapidly deployable solution that deterred theft in the first place.
They partnered with DeterTech to create a strategic toolbox of powerful products that could be blended for maximum impact on the specific challenges of a given location or threat. That meant a multi-layered solution of forensic marking, surveillance and intrusion detection – and vitally, crime intelligence. SmartWater forensic marking has become a requirement for new cable installation, accompanied by highly visible and recognisable deterrent signage. This was very effective as thieves couldn’t know what was and wasn’t marked, transferable or detectable.
The NICRP intelligence dashboard – powered by DeterTech – enabled TRU to track hotspots, brief senior leadership, justify investment, and allocate resources to deter crime. Teams could position the right layers of tools in the right places, at the right times, from rapidly deployed surveillance for high-risk sites that didn’t require access to mains electricity or communication infrastructure, to state-of the-art mobile protection units for high value assets and temporary asset compounds.
Shorter investigation timelines, improved intelligence sharing with police, and a demonstrable reduction in repeat thefts in high-risk areas. Most importantly, our joint approach enabled a shift in focus from detection to prevention, protecting project timelines and reducing the risk of multimillion-pound disruption. The flexibility to deploy solutions rapidly, build resilience by having a stock of tools on hand, and receive analytics and intelligence has strengthened security culture across the TRU programme. Responsiveness, and recognisable branding have reinforced DeterTech’s role as a preferred and trusted partner.
