Cable thief was caught trying to flee the country (From Haringey Independent)

Cable thief George Romeo Radacanu jailed for three years after leaving clue at the scene

5:30pm Wednesday 27th February 2013 in News By Hermione Wright

Fingerprints on discarded hacksaw packaging led police to a man who stole live cable from railway tracks.

George Romeo Radacanu, of Leamington Avenue in Wood Green, risked electrocution to steal the cable from the train tracks in Loughton and Epping in November last year.

After being caught as he tried to leave the country, Radacanu, 43, has been jailed for three years 

Officers were called to the scene and found the packaging before sending it off for forensic tests.

Once Radacanu’s prints were identified, police stopped him at Dover Port trying to flee the country.

After pleading guilty to the theft, he was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Monday.

Detective Inspector Jim Chamberlain said: “Theft of cable can have a huge impact on the running of the rail network and thousands of passengers are inconvenienced by it every year.

“There is a common assumption that cable theft is a victimless crime, with the only effects being felt by the railway industry. This is not the case.

“Stealing railway cable is incredibly dangerous. Thieves risk not only a prison sentence but also serious injury and death through electrocution.”