(The following story by Charlene MacKenzie appeared on the King’s County Record website on August 12.)
PENOBSQUIS — Sussex RCMP are investigating a theft over the New Brunswick Day long weekend of railway equipment stored beyond a gated CN road at the McCully rail station in the Back Road area.
Steel rail plates, anchors and other equipment were taken, but not rails or railway ties, said Cst. Guy Boudreau, an enforcement officer with CN Rail.
About 40 tons of material was taken, enough to be noticeable to CN Rail personnel who were at the site Aug. 2 and reported the theft to RCMP.
Boudreau said CN staff don’t use the site every day and the theft may have occurred any time after mid-July, when they were last there.
The used railway equipment was being stored there in preparation for re-use.
Boudreau said the initial value of $250,000 quoted for the missing equipment was an overestimate based on its value new the actual value was closer to $100,000.
The rail company is investigating a similar incident which occurred in the Moncton area at the end of July. About 480 kegs of railway spikes, worth abut $25,000 in total, were taken. Boudreau agreed it’s possible the two incidents could be connected.
“Any time the price of metal goes up, thefts increase,” he said, explaining it’s likely the materials were stolen to be sold as scrap metal.
Scrap steel of good quality is currently worth up to $200 per ton in southern New Brunswick.
Working with the CN Rail police, Sussex RCMP are investigating the theft but as yet have no suspects. Although the railway storage area was in site of some homes, police could find no witnesses to the theft.
Anyone with information on this crime or any criminal activity is encouraged to contact their local RCMP Detachment, or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS.