Operation Alloy day of action results

Operation Alloy arrest

Greater Manchester Police’s forcewide day of action to tackle metal theft and bring thieves to justice has resulted in raids on 16 scrap yards and 13 arrests.

This latest clampdown is the Force’s fourth day of action in the last five months and continues the work of Operation Alloy, Greater Manchester Police’s response to increasing metal thefts fuelled by escalating international commodity prices for lead, copper and other metals.

Wednesday’s operation saw more than 150 specialist operations and neighbourhood policing officers conducting searches and other routine visits at metal yards to search for stolen metals.

They were supported by engineers and staff from 33 partner agencies including telecoms, electricity, water, rail and tram companies, the Environment Agency, and HM Revenue and Customs.

Eleven arrests were made for metal theft, and one each for car theft and immigration offences.

Roadside operations targeting illegal transport of metal and other materials saw checks on 280 vehicles resulting in 21 being seized for insurance related and other offences and 57 Fixed Penalty Notices being issued.

A van loaded with alcohol was found at a yard in Stockport and seized by HM Customs and Excise pending tax evasion investigation.

Lead that had been marked with Smartwater was recovered from two yards and seized for analysis. More than four tonnes of BT cable was recovered as well as metal from the Vodaphone and Metrolink networks.

Officers also recovered two stolen cars, a Mercedes and a Vauxhall Frontera. More than £80,000 in cash was seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) that allows police to confiscate any cash over £1,000 that they believe may have been made from, or could be used in criminal activity.

Detective Julian Snowball who headed this Operation Alloy day of action said: “After today’s raids metal thieves and rogue scrap metal dealers will have been left in no doubt of our resolve to continue the high level of enforcement activity that we started last year under Operation Alloy.

“We will over the coming months continue to target thieves and the scrap yards that help them profit from their crimes by accepting stolen goods.

“However we will also be working with scrap yard owners to encourage them to adopt work practices that make it harder for offenders to off load stolen metals on them and share information on suspects and suspicious activity with their local police officers.

“Today, through working with our partners in the utilities and transport industries and a range of government agencies, we have brought 13 offenders to justice and disrupted a wide range of criminal activity.

“I would urge people to help us fight metal theft 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 101 the new national single non-emergency number or or anonymously through the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”