It may sound like an old western film, but in the last year freight trains have been subjected to train robbery while they have stopped at the station in Drangedal. Bane Nor has now stopped crossings at Neslandsvatn station. – At the request of Green Cargo, we have chosen not to let the freight trains stop at Neslandsvatn station due to theft from the trains, says Bane Nor’s press manager, Anne Kirkhusmo to news. It was Varden who first mentioned the case. DANGEROUS: At Neslandsvatn station, the trains do not stop after several incidents of train theft in the past year. Those who go on board expose both themselves and other passengers to danger, warns Green Cargo. Photo: HÅKON LIE / news Strangers get on board Train robbery is not something Bane Nor knows of elsewhere in the country. Neslandsvatn is the only place where freight trains do not stop. – This is an unusual situation. As far as I know, we have not experienced theft from trains in this way elsewhere in the country before, says Kirkhusmo. The transport company Green Cargo has experienced six out of a total of seven thefts. – Neslandsvatn has been our problem for the past year, says Torbjørn Solberg in Green Cargo. WARNING: – Those who do this here probably have no idea what danger they are exposing themselves to, believes Torbjørn Solberg in Green Cargo. Photo: HÅKON LIE / news During the 15–20 minutes that the trains stop here, strangers have boarded and cut open the seals on containers. In May, seven containers on one train were opened in one night. OPENED: Here is one of the containers that has been opened by thieves while the train has been standing still for 15-20 minutes to wait for an oncoming train at Neslandsvatn station. – A disgusting feeling Locomotive driver Engle Steen has experienced that container doors are open when the train arrives at the goods terminal at Alnabru. – It is not pleasant. You can only look at old western films to see how train robbers behaved there. It is probably not in the same way, but you are sitting there alone at night, he says. NOT PLEASANT: – We pass a number of stations with other passengers going on other trains. If they get a container door in the head, it can have fatal consequences, says locomotive driver Engle Steen. Photo: HÅKON LIE / news Those who climb on board do not only expose themselves to danger. Flapping doors at speed can also hit passengers at other train stations. – The worst thing is to see a door that is flapping, and you know that you have driven past the National Theatre. There are often quite a few people standing there. You don’t see it when you sit at the front of a train that is up to 600 metres, says train driver Engle Steen. No thefts have been reported Sør-Öst police district has so far not received any reports on the train thefts. They have not been aware of the problem until now, says head of the investigation department at Kragerø police station, Liv Berit Nesland. – We understand that there is a major security risk. If the doors swing open, they will be able to do a lot of damage. It will be serious, says Nesland. Nine or ten years ago, there was also a problem with several thefts from freight trains on Neslandsvatn, according to Nesland. Then the goods trains did not stop at the station either, but a good distance away. – If Bane Nor or the train operators report criminal conditions at Neslandsvatn station, we will probably look into those cases, she says. Postnord affected by thefts Postnord is one of the companies that has been affected by train thefts. Both goods for private customers and business customers have been stolen. They do not know what has been taken, but provide discrepancies on the tracking numbers that have been lost. – Nevertheless, it is logical to believe that the goods that have been stolen are easily tradable, and something that is easy to get resold, says press manager Haakon Nikolai Olsen. Postnord believes it is the carriers’ responsibility to report the thefts, and has not done so itself. Green Cargo believes that the companies must report because they own the containers on board the train, and know what has possibly been lost. Don’t think it’s organized crime The transport company doesn’t think it’s organized crime. The thefts have happened sporadically and empty containers have also been opened, says Solberg. – This suggests that it has been chosen based on what has been easily available, as we see it, he says. They have considered guard duty, but want a solution together with Bane Nor and other transport companies. Safety to prevent danger to people is the most important thing, he emphasizes. – That is priority one. We must prevent injury to people, or potential death, which we fear most, he says.
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Trains do not stop at Neslandsvatn station due to fear of train robbers – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
