Cable theft in Argentan: SNCF traffic restored after 300 connections repaired
Copper thieves stole more than 300 metres of cables on the Paris-Granville line, paralysing rail traffic for an entire day in Argentan.
Rail traffic restored in Argentan after massive cable theft
Rail traffic resumed normally on Tuesday morning on the Paris-Granville and Caen-Argentan lines, following a complete interruption caused on Monday by a theft of electrical cables along the tracks near Argentan (Orne). Google News FR — Crime (fr) reports that more than 300 metres of cables were stolen, requiring the intervention of around forty SNCF technicians for twenty-four consecutive hours.
Six cables were cut cleanly a few kilometres from Argentan station. Each one contains up to 70 connection wires, bringing the total number of connections to be reconnected and verified to more than 300 before any resumption of service. The teams, divided into two groups working in shifts on the ground, worked in difficult conditions: steep slopes, brambles, rocks and full sun.
Benjamin Cornu, head of railway network maintenance in Normandy for the SNCF, described the scale of the task: "It's heavy, very difficult to handle, given that the terrain is rather rough. Everyone needs to coordinate to get everything back in working order and made safe, which is complicated." He also outlined the precision required: "You have to strip everything, check everything, connect each wire with the right one opposite it."
Passengers stranded with no alternative solution
Monday was marked by a cascade of cancellations and delays for passengers. Romain, who was heading to Paris from Alençon, found himself stranded at Argentan station with no substitute bus provided: "I'm a regular user of the Alençon-Paris route — this is the first time I've seen something like this kind of abandonment in the middle of nowhere!" With no alternative, he returned home, postponing a medical follow-up appointment planned in the capital.
Alain, a retired person living in Argentan, received an SMS announcing the cancellation of his first train, with the promise of a replacement train. Upon arriving at the station, the disappointment was complete: "We realise that this train is also cancelled, but in that case, we didn't receive any SMS, any confirmation of anything," he said.
The SNCF, often pointed to by angry passengers, is not directly responsible for the incident. It was copper thieves who targeted the cables running alongside the rails. An investigation was opened by the Argentan public prosecutor's office, following a complaint filed by the railway company.
Annual cost estimated between 20 and 30 million euros
Cable thefts represent a heavy financial burden for the SNCF. In 2024, the First union estimated that this type of theft cost between 20 and 30 million euros per year to the public company.
The users' association for the Paris-Granville line regrets that these incidents are recurring without any notable improvement in the responsiveness of rail services or law enforcement. Its chairman, Pierre Formé, is calling for fully automated detection and alert systems: "Cutting the cables is one thing, but then you have to pull them, roll them up and take them away, which takes a bit longer, and that gives SNCF Réseau or the police time to intervene."
Pierre Formé also supports opening the Paris-Granville line to competition, scheduled for 2030, which according to him would allow the Region to make savings to invest in network maintenance. He also mentions replacing copper cables with optical fibre cables — made of plastic or glass — as a way to discourage thieves in the future.
Source: Google News FR — Crime (fr)