By John Moylan Business reporter, BBC News

Thefts of copper are costing UK firms millions of pounds. The soaring copper price this year has seen a doubling of related thefts on the railways, causing severe delays for passengers. Other industries are being targeted too.

Thieves target copper cables on railway lines

Charles Bull recently woke to the overwhelming smell of gas in his house. It was a neighbour who noticed that the copper pipes that supplied the house with gas had been removed.

Thieves had cut them off and stolen them. His was one of several homes targeted on the same road in Bedford.

"My first feeling was anger, that someone had come and nicked something from me," said Mr Bull.

"But when that subsided it was the realisation of what could have happened. It only would have taken a naked light and everything would have gone up."

Copper thefts are nothing new. The doubling of copper prices on global markets in the past two years has seen an increase in robberies.

Gas pipes, copper or bronze statues, even church lightning conductors have been ripped out for the sake of the scrap value.

Now for the first time the costs to businesses of such thefts are becoming clear.

British Transport Police have told the BBC there have been close to 1,000 copper-related incidents on the railways so far this year. That is a 50% rise year on year.

Network Rail, which owns and operates the railway infrastructure, says each incident can lead to delays for tens of thousands of passengers.

Those delays and the related repair costs have resulted in a �3m bill in the past 12 months.

Thieves have targeted high-voltage copper cables which power signalling systems and sets of points.

Organised crime

The rise in thefts mirrors what is happening on the continent. In Italy, the rail industry has also been targeted. There the finger of blame has been pointed at organised crime.

Here sources in the electricity industry talk of criminals who are organised. The sector has also been reeling from a rise in break-ins and thefts from sub-stations.

It was the theft of a copper earthing cable from a sub-station in the Black Country which recently left more than 16,000 homes and the Merry Hill shopping centre in Dudley without power.

It is dangerous and you are putting your lives at risk Det Ch Insp Danny Snee, British Transport Police Signal cable thefts cost �3m

The Energy Networks Association, which represents the companies that deliver electricity to our homes, claims the thefts have cost the industry �5m this year.

Of more concern is the fact that break-ins have been associated with two deaths and several serious injuries.

Incidents are occurring nationwide. But the hotspots are centred around the Midlands and the North East.

It has led British Transport Police to launch a nationwide clampdown called Operation Drum.

Police are working closely with other agencies in an effort to secure convictions.

Action plan

Scrap metal yards are where some stolen copper can end up. So in key areas the police are making frequent visits to yards and working with the industry to ensure dealers recognise stolen material.

For its part the industry is launching an action plan on stolen metals to advise on best practice.

Dealers such as Chris Wilkinson from Doncaster warn that despite their best efforts it can be difficult to identify stolen material.

"For me and the staff who work here our problem is deciding who is legitimately entitled to weigh in material and who is not," he said.

"Despite our best efforts we are finding it nearly impossible to establish the truth of the situation."

Police hope this clampdown will stem the rising tide of thefts.

Det Ch Insp Danny Snee of the British Transport Police has a warning for those involved in theft from the railways.

"The first thing I would say to these people is stay away," he said. "It is dangerous and you are putting your lives at risk.