Police bid to put more metal thieves behind bars

Greater Manchester Police is keeping the pressure on metal thieves with its second forcewide day of action today (Friday 28 October) that will see raids on 20 scrap yards across the county.

Operation Alloy will involve more than 100 specialist operations and neighbourhood policing officers supported by engineers from telecoms, electricity, water and transport networks searching scrap yards for metals that have been stolen from their networks. They will also be conducting roadside checks on vehicles of people suspected to be transporting stolen metals.

It follows on from a similar operation a month ago that led to 12 arrests, the recovery of £25k of stolen cable and the seizure of 33 vehicles for insurance related and other offences.

Other organisations supporting the operation include the Department of Works and Pensions checking for illegal workers and benefits fraud and the Environment Agency checking for safe disposal of waste materials. HM Revenue and Customs officers will check vehicles suspected of using red diesel and vehicle licensing officers will conduct checks on insurance and MOT certification.

Thefts of copper and lead have increased in the last year driven by increasing international prices for these commodities. As well as targeting electricity, telephone and train and tram cabling thieves have also been stealing lead flashing and copper boilers and pipes from homes, churches and schools.

Officers say that through Operation Alloy they are helping to stem the rise in metal thefts. In the 12 months to May this year there was a 60 per cent increase in metal thefts across the county when compared to the previous 12 months rising from 4,249 to 6,729 offences.

However, in the five months between April and August this year the rise has decreased to 16 percent when compared to the same period in 2010.

Superintendent Craig Thompson who is leading Greater Manchester Police’s day of action said: “Metal thieves cause untold misery and cost not only to large utility providers but also to homeowners and volunteers that work to keep community facilities open.

“For example a recent theft of copper piping from a boiler in an old folks home led to 27 vulnerable older people aged 80 to 101 suffering hardship as staff worked all out for a week to provide them with warm water for bathing from a small back up boiler in the kitchen until the system could be fixed.

“The real cost is not the £5,000 to replace the boiler and upgrade security but the inconvenience that the residents have been put to at a vulnerable time of their lives.

“Metal thieves are starting to realise that we are on their tails and are finding it harder to off load stolen metals on unsuspecting scrap yards. We will continue to target these offenders in the coming months and to encourage scrap yards to adopt work practices that will stop them supporting this crime by taking in stolen metals.

“People can help us by making their homes, businesses and community buildings less vulnerable to thieves by using security lights, fencing, alarms and good locks to keep thieves at bay.

“They can also help us by providing information about suspicious activity either directly to us on 0161 872 5050 or anonymously through the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”