Crackdown on metal theft (From Bromsgrove Advertiser)

Crackdown on metal theft

7:30am Monday 15th October 2012 in News

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NORTH Worcestershire scrap dealers are backing a new West Mercia scheme aimed at reducing metal thefts.

Dealers who sign up agree to only accept items accompanied with photo ID and a utility bill, which will be logged along with the registration number of their vehicles, and details of metal sold. In some cases, dealers are also taking sellers' thumbprints.

All 69 dealers within West Mercia have been invited to join the force's voluntary scheme.

Scrap dealers or merchants found to be buying, selling or handling stolen metals will be dealt with appropriately.

Checks on North Worcestershire scrap yards took place today, Thursday, October 11, along with roadside checks on vans and lorries, as part of a national day of action tackling metal theft..

In Bromsgrove, officers from the Bromsgrove South Safer Neighbourhood Team visited a recycling centre in the Stoke Prior area, and were pleased to discover it was also on board with taking thumbprints and registering ID.

In Redditch, the town's three main scrap metal dealers have all signed up to the scheme and are supportive of it.

Thursday’s crackdown across West Mercia, codenamed Operation Tornado, was funded by British Transport Police.

As part of efforts to tighten up on the scrap industry nationally, changes to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (LASPO) Act will outlaw all cash transactions at metal recycling yards across England and Wales and there will be a significant increase in fines for those dealers who fail to abide by the rules.