Due to metal thieves damaging vital infrastructure, several high-speed trains between Frankfurt and Stuttgart had to be canceled on Monday.

The nation’s rail operator, Deutsche Bahn, reported that on Monday morning it as discovered there had been a theft of metal parts on the section of track that connects Mannheim Central Station to the neighboring town of Lampertheim.

All service between Frankfurt and Stuttgart were canceled due to the discovery, which reportedly affected Intercity Express (ICE) trains operating on the Berlin-Frankfurt-Stuttgart line. Additionally, some trains that traveled via Stuttgart and Frankfurt Airport from the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia to Munich in the south were also cancelled. Other ICE trains that were running between Frankfurt and Mannheim were rerouted by the operator.

According to a report by Deutsche Welle, copper thefts in Germany have increased significantly recently as a result of a steep jump in the prices of scrap metal. reports indicate the thefts are being performed by professional organized gangs that utilize specialized gear, as well as lone individuals.

A spokesman for the rail operator, Deutsche Bahn, told Euronews that there have been 450 instances of metal theft on German trains recently. The thefts have caused 3,200 trains to be delayed for a total of 40,000 minutes at a cost to the firm of €7 million.

The theft of copper cables near Mannheim in the run-up to Christmas had casued days of service interruptions. A second instance of metal theft earlier this month triggered delays for many ICE trains traveling between Frankfurt and Cologne.