Cable thieves strike at Lambourn Woodlands grain store

Police appeal to public and scrap metal merchants for help

THIEVES have stripped electrical cable worth £50,000 from a grain store in Lambourn Woodlands.

Police have appealed for witnesses and asked scrap metal merchants to keep an eye out for it.

The incident happened betwen 4.30pm on Sunday, April 17 and 7am on Tuesday, April 19 at Ridgeway Grain Ltd on the Membury industrial area.

Several hundred metres of electric cabling was taken from outside of two large grain store units.

The cables are described as Nexans Distribution cables which are XLPE insulated, PVC bedded and steel wire armoured, with annealed copper conductors.

Administration manager at Ridgeway Grain Ltd., Lesley Fox, said: “There have been a few incidents of theft nearby. Fuel has been stolen, factories broken into and equipment stolen but, until now, we have been lucky.

“The thieves probably used bolt cutters and stripped out all the cabling.”

PC Nathan Adby, from Newbury police station, said: “I would appeal for anyone with any information about this incident or the whereabouts of the piping to contact police. Likewise, I would ask that any scrap metal merchants who have been offered or sold this type of product since 17 April 2011 to contact police.”

He added that, since the theft, on-site security has been stepped up and went on: “Neighbouring businesses have been informed of the incident.”

Anyone with any information about this incident should contact Pc Adby via 0845 8 505 505.

Alternatively, if you do not want to speak to police or leave your name, the Crimestoppers charity can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.