Police have arrested a 21-year-old man linked to multiple cable thefts near Barcelona's Estació de França, which have severely disrupted Rodalies R2 and regional train services over the past ten days. The suspect, acting alone, carried out six thefts between 7 and 16 September, cutting cables with bolt cutters and removing them from the track area, according to Mossos d'Esquadra sources.
The arrest took place in Ciutat Vella on Thursday, under an active warrant issued by the Mossos' Urban Transport Regional Area Investigation Unit. Though the security operation focused on Poblenou, where the affected railway branch runs from Estació de França to Plaça de les Glòries, the suspect was taken into custody in a different district. He faces a court appearance this Saturday.
The man, who was homeless and lived in a camp near the tracks, had 14 prior arrests and a known history of stealing copper from construction sites, including at Ciutadella Park and Vila Olímpica. Authorities believe he may have sold the stolen metal to scrap dealers operating near the railway line in that area.
Broader Theft Trend Linked to Raw Material Prices
There is something that transcends Adif, which are the mafias or organizations that sell this material.
Ángel Contreras, head of Adif in Catalonia, attributed the surge in cable thefts across Spain to rising raw material prices, particularly copper. Speaking on Catalunya Ràdio's 'Els Matins', he noted that Catalonia accounts for 37.9% of such incidents nationally, though he could not explain why the region is disproportionately affected.
Adif plans to reinforce security with additional fencing at vulnerable access points and expanded camera surveillance. However, Contreras acknowledged these are deterrent measures and cannot eliminate all risks.
Ongoing Disruptions Across Rodalies Network
Thefts have impacted multiple lines. On Thursday, 200 metres of cable were stolen between Castellbisbal and Molins de Rei, affecting R4 services. The thieves demonstrated technical knowledge, targeting specific infrastructure. On the R3 line, which has been closed for a year due to works, copper thefts have been frequent, prompting an extraordinary €17 million allocation to replace 70 kilometres of cable after 63 criminal acts.
Estació de França has long been a hotspot for vandalism. Last year, the Mossos launched Operation Iris, using thermal drones to detect intrusions on the tracks. Rodalies also previously deployed drones and canine units at the station and other vulnerable sites to combat ongoing sabotage.
President of the Generalitat Salvador Illa praised the Mossos for their intervention, highlighting the importance of coordinated security efforts between police, Adif, and Renfe.
Reported by El Periódico Barcelona.
