MADRID — Thousands of rail passengers in Spain were hit with delays after copper cables used in the signaling system of a high-speed line traveling south from Madrid to Seville were stolen at five locations, authorities said Monday.

The theft, which happened late Sunday, affected dozens of trains traveling between Madrid and the southern Andalusian cities of Seville, Malaga and Granada as many people were returning home to Spain’s capital after a holiday weekend.

Copper prices are high on global markets, meaning criminals stand to collect big sums of cash from selling the material.

The incident came a week after a blackout in Spain and Portugal grounded high-speed train traffic in Spain to a halt, stranding passengers for hours. — Associated Press