Five arrests under Operation Alloy

Over 100 police officers visited scrap metal dealers and motor salvage operators across Greater Manchester as part of Operation Alloy

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Last week saw over 100 police officers visiting scrap metal dealers and motor salvage operators across Greater Manchester as part of Operation Alloy.

They were joined by officials from local authorities, HM Revenue & Customs and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency, and traffic officers were also out on the roads reminding scrap metal collectors and motor salvage operators that they now need to be licensed by each local authority where they operate.

They stopped over 200 vehicles during the week, 14 of which were seized, and identified 78 offences resulting in five arrests and over £10,500 in fines.

Arrests were made for suspected drink driving in two cases, as well as possession of drugs and driving without a licence or insurance.

Officers also seized more than 520 metal roll-cages used by supermarkets and hauliers to transport goods, and these have now been returned to the rightful owners.

Under the new Scrap Metal Act, which was introduced on 1 October 2013, dealers and collectors must have undergone background checks to ensure they are fit to run a business, and can now only trade in cheques or bank transfers so there is a record of each transaction.

All sellers of metal must provide personal identification at the point of sale, and scrap dealers or collectors must keep detailed records of items that they buy or collect.

In addition, the Act gives new powers to police and local authorities to revoke licences and close down rogue businesses.

PCSO John Woods of GMP’s Operation Alloy team said: “We’ve managed to reduce metal theft across Greater Manchester by 70 per cent in the last few years, and this has largely been down to various agencies working in close partnership and sharing information.

“An example of this is our recent work with Electricity North West (ENW) and Signature Materials, which means that all ENW’s cabling and equipment is now uniquely marked and traceable, making it much harder for metal thieves to profit from their crimes.”