Spain seeks to toughen penal code to combat copper theft

The Spanish government and the Generalitat of Catalonia are working to reform the penal code to increase penalties for copper theft. This legislative push aims to address a surge in thefts targeting the Rodalies railway network, where thieves target copper for its high market value.

Officials argue that current laws classify these incidents primarily as theft, which carries relatively light sentences. The proposed changes seek to reclassify the crime to reflect that stealing copper from railway lines compromises public transport safety, threatens essential mobility, and attacks critical infrastructure.