Operation Targets Railway Copper Theft
Five people, four men aged 21, 22, 23 and 25, and a 35-year-old woman, have been arrested by the Mossos d'Esquadra this morning in an attempted theft of copper cable from railway infrastructure near Roda de Berà, in the Tarragonès region. The arrests took place during a preventive surveillance operation under the Pla Via, a dedicated initiative by the regional police to combat repeated thefts of copper from rail networks, which have caused significant disruptions to train services across Catalonia, including at Barcelona’s Estació de França.
Three Vehicles Intercepted in Coordinated Operation
Agents from the Torredembarra police station identified two vehicles heading towards a stretch of track in Roda de Berà during the early hours. After discreetly monitoring their movements, officers moved in and found the vehicles parked close to the railway. Two individuals fled on foot into the darkness, but three occupants, two men and the woman, were detained. During searches, police seized tools and other items consistent with cable stripping. Meanwhile, a separate unit from the Area Regional de Recursos Operatius (ARRO) detected a third vehicle approaching the same area. The driver attempted to speed away upon seeing police, but was immediately intercepted. Inside were two more men, and a search revealed work clothes, tools and a flashlight.
Strong Evidence Links All Five to Attempted Theft
The timing, location and coordination of the three vehicles, combined with the seized equipment, led officers to conclude all five were involved in a planned attempt to remove copper cabling from the rail infrastructure. They are now accused of attempted aggravated theft and will be presented before the on-duty investigating section of the Vendrell court later today.
The Pla Via has been intensified following a rise in cable thefts that directly impact train operations and passenger safety.
This operation is part of a broader crackdown on metal theft from critical transport infrastructure, which the Generalitat has identified as a persistent threat to public service reliability.
Primary sources: mossos.gencat.cat, govern.cat. Reported by 3CatInfo, La Vanguardia, rtve.es, cronicanegra.com, El Periódico, El País, larazon.es, en.ara.cat.
