November 23, 2010 11.49 am This story is over 160 months old

Two men arrested over copper thefts

Arrested: Two local men were arrested after reports of copper thefts in Abbey Place.

Lincolnshire Police say they have arrested two men in the early hours of November 23, after reports of copper thefts.

Officers responded to calls in Abbey Place, Lincoln, after reports that thieves were ripping copper piping from a house.

Two local men (36, 39) were arrested shortly after, and are currently at Lincoln Police Station helping police with enquiries.

It it unknown whether this incident is related to reports from late October of copper theft homes in the West End area.

Similar cases were reported on Charles Street West, Gresham Street, Whitehall Grove and also Scorer Street.

Copper theft is ramping up, as price for the metal rocketed to around £5,000 per tonne in recent years at scrap metal dealers.

Pictured, copper cable found on rail tracks.

Copper cable theft also severely affected traffic in Lincoln over the past few months, after thieves tried to steal cables from the Sincil Bank area.

Trains had to be redirected or delayed, and motorists and pedestrians were stuck at rail crossings in Lincoln endlessly.

Photo: Network Rail