Damage caused by stolen components was indicated as possible causes for trains’ derailments following several such incidents in September. It was therefore considered that the safety of train operations could be ensured by reducing the number of theft cases, following the ban on purchasing metallic parts used in railway work from individuals.
The need for the ban is attributed to the large number of theft cases affecting railway infrastructure: according to MTI, in the first half of 2008 there were 50% cases of theft and the damages were 3,5 higher than in the same period of 2007. According to the same statistics, thieves were active not only on closed railroads, but also on tracks opened for traffic, which jeopardizes the safety of train operation and thus increases the risks of events with very serious consequences.
