Train services around Zwolle will remain disrupted until well into the afternoon following a bungled attempt by thieves to steal copper cables, Dutch railway company NS said on Monday morning.

The disruption means there are no services between Amersfoort and Zwolle and between Zwolle and Lelystad until at least 3 pm, the NS said. Travellers are advised to travel via Deventer or postpone their journey if possible.

ProRail said yesterday that one person had been arrested in connection with the attempted theft. No copper was removed, but the damage to the railway infrastructure is substantial.

“Fortunately, we noticed it early on and the police were on the scene very quickly,” ProRail spokesman Martijn de Graaf said.

There was another case of copper theft near Zwolle two weeks ago.

De Graaf said several factors are contributing to the length of time the repair work is taking. “We need to know exactly what is damaged. Once we know that, the right people have to be available. There is a tight labour market and this is highly specialised work,” he told broadcaster NOS.