Cork battery thieves are targeting speed indicator signs

Battery thieves are causing considerable damage to speed indicator signs in Co Cork, with the cost of repair for Cork County Council significant.

A spate of thefts has been ongoing throughout the county for some time, especially as the batteries needed to operate the speed indicator signs are valuable and can be resold on the black market as the batteries have a number of uses.

According to council officials, the average battery costs around €750 and the damage caused to the machines by removing them can take the total bill up to €1,500.

There are hundreds of speed indicator signs spread around the eight municipal district councils in the region.

RURAL AREAS

Many of the signs being targeted by the battery thieves are in rural areas and it is believed they hit them at night when there is a reduced likelihood of them been spotted and arrested.

The ongoing issue has been highlighted yet again, this time in the Kanturk/Mallow Municipal Council district, following queries from Fine Gael councillor Aileen Browne, who asked officials why a number of the signs were not working.

Council engineers said there are 52 speed feedback signs in that district, nine of which are not working, and five of those were non-operational because their batteries had been stolen.

Ms Browne listed a number of the speed detector signs not working in the area which she and Fianna Fáil councillor Ian Doyle described as “a matter of real concern” because of the important role that they play in road safety.

Council engineers said they are trying to repair them as quickly as possible.

Billy O’Sullivan, senior executive engineer for the Kanturk/Mallow Municipal District, said: “Road safety must remain a priority, and maintaining existing infrastructure is a key part of that.”