Sleeper theft is dangerous sabotage

[John Ashworth]

Attached please find a letter from FOTR's Steve Appleton, published in The Star on 30th May 2012

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

Fame at last Steve!

I understand also that people in your line of work also tend to start writing a lot to newspapers!!!!

[Steve Appleton]

The background: There was an editorial published recently in The Star regarding scrap merchants and sleeper theft. The editorial speculated as to whether such theft and the subsequent actions of scrap dealers did not constitute a serious danger and a threat to the lives of rail users. The editorial went on to posit that doubtless such theft was getting the highest attention of the investigative fraternity in whom they expressed confidence.

I wrote a response to that editorial confirming that indeed such theft did pose such a threat to rail users. As can be gleaned, I am not so confident that the perpetrators are being so seriously sought, nor that they will likely be identified and prosecuted.

Beyond affirming parts of the editorial's speculation, I did not seriously expect anything else to come of it. It was intended more to inform the Editorial staff than to inform any unsuspecting reader. However, The Star obviously thought differently and decided to publish that letter. And so, it appeared in print yesterday.