by Lynn Cox

Two thieves who stole almost £35,000 worth of cable from the railways, sold some of it to scrap dealers in Medway.

Steven Bryce, 40, and Robert Tinker, 34, pictured, were each jailed for 20 months earlier this week at Maidstone Crown Court after pleading guilty to conspiracy to steal cable at an earlier hearing.

near the Isle of Sheppey Bridge.Bryce, of Swale Avenue, Queenborough and Tinker, of High Street, Sheerness, worked together to steal the cable from railway tracks

In total they stole more than a mile of cable on 14 separate occasions from December 2010 and March 2011.

DI Ashley Cooper, from the British Transport Police, (BTP) said that during their four month crime spree Bryce and Tinker managed to steal almost 1.6 miles of telecommunications cable from the railway.

He added: "But their conspiracy came to an end when officers on a cable theft patrol in March 2011, stopped a man - later identified as Bryce - at Queenborough who claimed he had been clearing rubbish from the marshes."

He was arrested and following forensic evidence from the scene of some of the thefts was linked to the series of crimes.

Further investigation, including checking receipts of local scrap dealers, revealed Bryce and his accomplice, identified as Tinker, had claimed more than £3,250 from dealers for cable taken to yards in Strood, Sittingbourne and the Isle of Sheppey.

Both men were charged, in February this year.

DI Ashley Cooper added: "When you consider the effort and endeavour of the pair to steal the cable yielded just over £1,500 each for four months work it is clear to see that cable theft even in relatively large quantities is not lucrative.

"It is damaging however in terms of delays, interruption to rail service and cost to the industry which, in this case, was almost 10 times that of the value of the cable.

"This case clearly demonstrates that BTP, together with Network Rail, has taken a clear stand against cable thieves and that we will do everything in our power, using all available techniques to identify and prosecute offenders.

"Cable theft is a blight on society and has a dramatic effect on communities across the country.

"We are committed to tackling the issue and will continue to work hard to reduce the effect criminals have on the travelling public."

"We are committed to tackling the issue and will continue to work hard to reduce the effect criminals have on the travelling public."