Police have launched an investigation into cable theft which saw Metro services between Wallsend and Monkseaton grind to a halt all morning (January 5).
Some 45 metres of cabling was speedily repaired by engineers but the disruption is caused havoc for commuters, who were forced to use buses instead.
A spokesman for Nexus, which operates the Metro, said: ““Cable theft causes huge disruption to our customers. It is dangerous to tamper with trackside equipment which has high voltage power running through it. Thieves are risking their lives by doing this."
