A TEENAGE moped rider crashed after thieves tried to pull out telephone cabling from the ground by a road outside Dorchester.
The 17-year-old was taken to hospital but escaped with minor injuries after the crash on the B3147 between the Grove BP petrol station and the Wears roundabout in the early hours of yesterday morning.
Police say the incident follows a series of attempted thefts of phone cables from criminals trying to capitalise on the high price of copper.
Deputy Inspector Steve Foot, of Dorchester Police, said the latest attempt could have had even more serious consequences after the 17-year-old moped rider is believed to have gone over cabling that had been dug up and left in the road.
He said: “It looks like he’s collided with some BT cabling.
“Thieves have tried to steal the cabling and they’ve opened up a couple of pits and tried to work it out.
“Our understanding is because the cables have been pulled out the ground it was obstructing the highway.”
A police spokesman said the moped rider was taken to Dorset County Hospital but suffered only minor injuries.
Deputy Inspector Foot said: “It could have been a lot worse, he was very lucky really because there were no other vehicles involved.
“It there had been he might not have been so lucky.”
Deputy Inspector Foot said it was the fifth time in recent weeks that BT cabling had been lifted from the ground.
There have also been thefts of cabling on the Ridgeway, two on the A37 north of Dorchester and one on the Dorchester bypass between Monkey’s Jump roundabout and the football stadium roundabout.
Deputy Inspector Foot said: “We need to send out a message to the public that when they do see something not to hesitate in calling us.
“It seems like the people who are stealing the cabling can look very professional with fluorescent tabards and such like and people generally wouldn’t give it a second thought.
“The cost of copper at the moment is sky high and most BT cabling is copper so that’s why it’s being pulled from the ground.”
PC Jeremy Cuff said the latest theft also caused disruptions to phone lines of residents in Stratton and is appealing for witnesses to any of the thefts to contact Dorset Police on 01305 222222.
A BT spokesman said a few residents had lost their connection, with 18 reported cases by yesterday lunchtime.
He added: “The scale of the work that is needed to repair the damage that has been caused is going to take a few days.”
source: dorsetecho.co.uk
Dorset Personal Injury
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