Metal theft

UIC Metal Theft working group was an ad-hoc UIC security Platform WG, raised by request of its members to answer to the metal theft increasing rail services disruptions to passengers and freight services and escalating costs to the rail industry.

The UIC Metal Theft Working Group was established in 2011 to discuss the global impact of metal theft on EU railways. Chaired by SNCF from 2011 to 2012, then chaired by DBAG and co-chaired by ZSR, the group focused on strategic and technical planning to mitigate metal theft.

In 2013, the UIC Metal Theft WG has developed and published a position paper Metal theft on the Railways reflecting that the railway community is working collaboratively with its members as well as with the national and international authorities.

Effective as of 2017, the WG ceased its operations. the WG decided unanimously to continue the work and to expand its scope within the WG Sabotage, Intrusions and Attacks.

The strategic and technical work included a set of actions that aim to support and enhance railway community activities against metal theft. These were:

In 2012/13 the UIC Metal Theft WG has developed and published (November 2013), a position paper Metal theft on the Railways reflecting that the railway community is working collaboratively with its members and the national and international authorities. Below the publication:

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The strategic and technical work includes a set of actions that aim to support and enhance railway community activities against metal theft. Those are:

Strategic activities

• Improve international cooperation: Single Rail Forum for Metal Theft to share knowledge with all stakeholders;
• Wider communication strategy (facilitate and disseminate awareness campaigns at National and EU levels);
• Further develop partnerships
• with international initiatives and organisations (Pol-Primett, WCO, UNECE, RAILPOL, etc.).
• with manufacturers in designing security solutions for the use of copper and other materials;
• mobilise other sectors (Telecom, Energy, Roads, etc.) also victims of similar phenomena and exchange information and best practices.

Technical activities

• International Operational Security Meetings on Border-crossing Metal Theft Hot spots (coordinated between railway companies and national authorities)
• list of technical solutions against metal theft (current use for best practices)
• Global costs of Metal theft (assess and measure)
• Map of Metal Theft at the Railways (based on a GIS system, showing the EU railways network metal hotspots)
• Border-crossing railways cable catalogue (for law enforcement and scrap metal dealers)