The NICTD Transit Police is investigating multiple thefts of copper wire
from the South Shore commuter line in Pine Township and LaPorte County.
According to police, sometime between Thursday and Sunday thieves stole
copper wire from four locations along the line between Beverly Shores and
the county line and from two locations between Royal Road in Michigan City
and C.R. 400W in Springfield Township.
The wire in question is a one-inch thick strand of smaller copper wires
wrapped in a thick black insulation casing, police said. “Thieves will
normally remove the casing by burning or cutting it off, then sell the wire
to local scrap yards.”
Missing wire causes train signals to go red and certain rail joints to
electrically burn, resulting in delays to morning rush-hour passenger
trains.
“The cost of repairing the damages is enormous but the risk of being
electrocuted or struck and killed by a speeding train is very real,” Transit
Police Chief Bob Byrd said.
Anyone with information about the thefts is asked to call the NICTD Transit
Police at (219) 398-6000. All information provided is kept confidential.
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