Gardaí seek owners of stolen copper found in woods

GARDAÍ are trying to trace the owners of valuable stolen copper cable which was discovered in dense woodland on the Cork/Limerick border yesterday morning.

It is believed the plastic-coated copper cable was stolen recently and the thieves had moved it into the forestry with the intention of burning off the plastic.

A Garda spokesman said the thieves had already made preparations to burn the cable.

Gardaí, it emerged, found flammable liquid poured over all 800 yards of the cable.

The cable found yesterday was believed to be worth in excess of €10,000.

Gardaí were alerted after a man, out walking his dog, spotted it deposited at Coillte-owned woods at Ballintlea, north-east of Doneraile at 6.30am.

The spokesman said no cable had been reported stolen in the area recently.

He said an ESB official would view it today in the hope of locating serial numbers on the plastic which might identify where it had been stolen.

The cable was found on a dirt track two miles into the woods which are on the foothills of the Ballyhoura Mountains.

Gardaí are urging anybody walking around the Ballyhoura Mountains to contact their local Garda station if they see any discarded cable or any suspicious activity.