Thanks to the quick actions of Metro’s Network Safety and Security team, a man was apprehended and handed over to Victoria Police after a spate of cable thefts.

A series of incidents over four mornings in late October led to 18 hours of disruptions on the Werribee Line, significantly impacting passengers who rely on services through the Altona Loop.

Metro Chief Operating Officer Catherine Baxter said Metro officers had been patrolling the area between Laverton and Westona stations, which features swampy and inaccessible terrain.

“Our Network Security and Surveillance team apprehended a man near the rail corridor early on November 1 – they were then handed over to Victoria Police,” Ms Baxter said.

The release of Metro’s October performance on Thursday revealed the impact to the network of the crimes. During the month, Metro delivered 98.5 per cent of all train services, 90.3 per cent of which ran on time.

October also saw the conclusion of the Spring Blitz, with more than 500,000 people moved on replacement buses while work progressed on the Metro Tunnel and other critical infrastructure upgrades.

“We know the series of cable thefts was disruptive for many of our Werribee line passengers – I’d like to thank them for their patience,” Ms Baxter said.

“Cable theft is criminal, dangerous and causes significant disruption for our passengers who rely on our train services to get where they need to go.”

Victoria Police confirmed the Transit division charged a 52-year-old man with burglary and theft.