Looking back... Thieves target railway safety equipment

The target for the thieves was the railway line between Greenisland and Monkstown.

Northern Ireland Railways offered a £50 reward for information in relation to the crime.

A spokesman said: “Not only was our equipment being stolen and damaged but the vandals were endangering the safety of commuters by wrecking controls.

“The main target in a series of vandalism attacks is signalling equipment.

“The vandals foolishly cut yards of cable and stole copper wiring.”

Railway chief Hugh Waring expressed concern, saying that interfering with safety equipment could “render it useless.”