A second worker has been sacked for allegedly stealing copper cable from a construction site linked to Auckland's multi-billion-dollar underground train network.
Video obtained exclusively by Newshub on Thursday showed workers at the Mount Eden City Rail Link site picking up sections of copper cable and loading them onto a forklift before driving away.
The video also featured workers discussing the profits they'd make from the copper cable they'd taken.
Police have confirmed to Newshub they're investigating after being informed of the theft of copper cables on October 19.
The Link Alliance, a consortium of seven companies in charge of the project, initially told Newshub only one worker had been removed from the site, and that only a single incident was investigated.
However, on Friday, Link Alliance changed its version of events.
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Project director Francois Dudouit now says two workers have been removed from the Mount Eden site.
He also confirmed that another allegation of theft was investigated, but the incident couldn't be proven.
Newshub understands this incident was related to allegations that two drums of copper cable, valued at $80,000 each, went missing from the site in September.
Dudouit said the value of the scrap copper taken in the first incident was $800, but he didn't know how long workers had been stealing from the site.
He told Newshub Link Alliance takes security seriously at the site.
"Theft of building materials is a construction industry-wide issue and Link Alliance operates a CCTV system at its gates, perimeter and on site, as well as security guards who monitor the perimeter and sites," he said.
The City Rail Link project, the country’s biggest infrastructure project, has faced controversy over delays and cost overruns. The latest estimate is that the project would cost around $4.4 billion, although Transport Minister Michael Wood has indicated that could increase further.
