Salento rail line thefts hit Ferrovie del Sud Est

Ferrovie del Sud Est recorded 42 theft and vandalism incidents on its Salento network between January and July 2026, including 31 thefts and 11 cases of cable cutting. The crimes were concentrated on the Lecce‑Gallipoli corridor, which accounted for more than half of all events.

The disruptions forced the suspension of over 50 % of scheduled trains on the first day service resumed on the Lecce‑Gallipoli and Casarano‑Gallipoli lines, and caused significant delays in subsequent days. The operator said the incidents also slowed modernization works funded by the PNRR and other investment programmes. In response, Ferrovie del Sud Est has deployed a guardian service on the most affected routes, stepped up infrastructure inspections together with the railway police (Polfer), and alerted the relevant prefectures and judicial authorities to pursue the perpetrators.