TELECOMS giant BT is to use a new technology system to tackle cable thefts in a move police believe will act as a "major deterrent" to criminals.
The Rapid Assessment BT Incident Tracker – or Rabit – constantly monitors the BT network and detects when a disconnection has taken place. It can alert security and police to the precise location of a cable theft.
It was trialled in December and will now be installed across the country, monitoring the company's UK telephone and broadband network.
BT Scotland director Brendan Dick said it "will make thieves think again".
He added: "We are now able to inform the police of the exact location of malicious network attacks and, if trials are anything to go by, it won't be long before they start catching the thieves in the act."
Paul Crowther, deputy chief constable of the British Transport Police, said: "In my view, this technology will significantly improve police response times to cable theft incidents and will act as a major deterrent to criminals engaged in this activity.
"More importantly, communities and businesses should see a sharp reduction in the disruption caused by this type of theft."
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