Transport police carried out line-side patrols and visited scrap yards across West Yorkshire in a day of action against metal thefts from railways.

Thefts of valuable copper cable have wreaked havoc across the region's rail network for the last two years, turning signals to red, causing severe delays to trains and expense to Network Rail.

Yesterday British Transport Police in West Yorkshire joined forces with rail police from across Europe in a co-ordinated crackdown on the theft of metals from the railway.

They targeted hot-spot areas with lineside patrols, using off-road police bikes and sniffer dogs. Automatic Number Plate Recognition checks were also in operation, used to link criminals to vehicles and potential crime scenes.

Operations included intelligence-led targeting of suspects, using overt and covert tactics and CCTV cameras.

BTP officers also visited scrap metal yards to ensure dealers were aware of what to look for in identifying cable stolen from the rail network. Officers checked the books and informed owners of the crackdown and consequences of handling stolen goods.

Last month Bradford councillor Stanley King, vice chairman of Metro, the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority, was commended for his work in urging the Crown Prosecution Service and local magistrates to take copper cable thefts very seriously when dealing with offenders. Recent court cases have resulted in a number of copper thieves being given heavy custodial sentences.

BTP have also delivered training to 40 Network Rail staff to ensure they know how to preserve forensic evidence and aid prosecutions when they discover cable has been stolen.

Detective Chief Inspector Danny Snee, whose patch includes the Bradford district, said copper cable thefts on the trans-Pennine route and incidents at Elland, on the Bradford Interchange to Brighouse line, had impacted on Bradford commuters over the last two years. He said: "After the threat of terrorism, the theft of cable is one of BTP's biggest challenges. Those who steal cable are not just risking a prison sentence, they are risking their lives.

"This is an extremely dangerous crime which is costly to the rail industry and causes hours of delays to thousands of passengers who rely on the rail network. It is an attack on the community."

He said BTP had dedicated cable theft squads to undertake regular operations.

Dyan Crowther, route director for Network Rail, said: "Our fail-safe system means any cut cable turns all signals in the area to red and brings all nearby trains to a halt."