Police continue to hammer metal theft

Greater Manchester Police raided 64 scrap metal dealers in their latest clampdown on metal thieves

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Greater Manchester Police raided 64 scrap metal dealers, recovered stolen metals from five and made 11 arrests for metal and other thefts, drink driving and immigration offences yesterday (Thursday 11 October) in their latest clampdown on metal thieves.

More than a hundred specialist and divisional officers as well as 11 Special Constables were involved in the day of action, one of many planned under the Force’s Operation Harvest that aims to bring a wide range of thieves, thugs and fugitives to justice in the coming weeks.

Recovered items included overhead power cables, metal cages, copper and beer kegs. Officers were supported in identifying stolen metals by engineers from the telecoms, transport and utility companies.

Roads policing officers supported the raids by conducting roadside checks on 427 vehicles suspected to be transporting metal illegally. They seized 28 vehicles for insurance and road tax offences, served 86 Fixed Penalty Notices for traffic offences and 449 for speeding in a 40mph zone.

Officers from GMP’s Operation Alloy team that was set up last year to tackle an increase in metal thefts say hard hitting actions such as these aimed at metal theft and associated crimes have helped to reduce metal thefts by 56 per cent in the last year.

Superintendent Craig Thompson who led the day of action said: “Many people will have been inconvenienced by power cuts, loss of telephone and internet connections and train and tram disruptions as a result of the activity of metal thieves.

“Some will have had their lives put at risk through thieves targeting metal cables that supply power and communication links to hospitals and care homes and the emergency services.

“More than half of metal thefts in Greater Manchester are from the homes of ordinary, often vulnerable people causing them physical and financial hardship that is particularly painful in the current financial climate and during the winter months.

“Because of this we have worked hard in the last year to substantially reduce metal thefts by targeting metal thieves in the scrap metal yards where they off load their ill-gotten gains, on the roads when they are transporting stolen metals and in the communities where they spread misery by stealing metals from people’s homes and community buildings.

“We will be maintaining this level of pressure over the next few months to make it a cold, hard winter for metal thieves.

“People can help 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 single non-emergency number or anonymously through the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”