Wellington trains resume after attempted cable theft causes delays

An attempted cable theft has delayed some trains coming into Wellington this morning.

Metlink said the attempted theft happened on the Kāpiti Line shortly after 7.30am, at the main tunnel over State Highway One.

Police say they received a report of someone in the tunnel in Glenside.

The incident has caused delays and some cancellations to Kāpiti Line services, the Metlink spokesperson said.

Trains have now resumed after a police inspection of the tunnel.

"The person was not apprehended. Initial reports indicate no cables were cut or damaged."

Police say enquiries are ongoing.

A KiwiRail spokesperson said the impacts of copper theft were serious.

"While we cannot confirm whether this was an attempted theft, copper theft is a nationwide issue affecting critical infrastructure providers across the transport, electricity and telecommunications sectors."

The spokesperson said when cabling is damaged or stolen, it can result in delays or disruption for both passengers and freight customers.

"Anyone interfering with live railway cabling is also putting themselves at risk of serious harm."