How we use Cookies   • By Manchester Evening News  Trail of
smoke snares copper thieves  A trail of smoke led police to
copper thieves whose cable-stripping raid created havoc on the
railways.  Helen Caldbeck and Thomas Carroll  Officers from
British Transport Police were investigating hoax reports of a
bomb when they saw smoke billowing along the lines at Miles
Platting.  When they arrived at the source they saw Helen
Caldbeck and Thomas Carroll scaling a fence.  The experienced
pair had been tampering with signalling cable, removing the
housing to get at the copper inside.  Manchester Crown Court
heard that a ‘substantial’ amount of copper had been stolen,
although only a small amount was recovered from Caldbeck’s
rucksack.  The crime caused massive disruption. Two train
services were cancelled completely and a further 16 were
delayed. The two hours 25 minutes of disruption meant Network
Rail had to pay £1,200 compensation to train operators.
Caldbeck, 44, of  Plymouth Grove, Longsight, admitted theft and