TWO teenagers have been charged with theft after they were found onboard a Royal Mail train near Lockerbie early on Tuesday morning.
Police have revealed the pair were caught in a carriage carrying parcels.
And while gaining access to the locomotive, the males had allegedly also damaged signalling equipment on the West Coast Mainline, which caused a day of delays on the railway.
Officers from the British Transport Police (BTP) were called to the line in Mid Annandale at 1.42 am on Tuesday.
A BTP spokesperson said: “Officers attended and a 17-year-old and an 18-year-old were located in a carriage and arrested.
“At this stage it’s not believed anything was stolen but a number of parcels in the carriage had been interfered with. Both young men have been charged with malicious mischief, theft and threatening and abusive behaviour.
“Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information can contact BTP by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 38 of 01/08/23.”
Royal Mail have confirmed they are aware of the incident and are supporting the police investigation.
It happened almost 60 years to the day of the Great Train Robbery, when £2.61m was stolen from an overnight Royal Mail train heading from Glasgow to London on August 8 1963.
Tuesday’s mail train was said to be travelling from Warrington in Cheshire to Shieldmuir near Glasgow.