New laws to curb scrap metal theft ‘imminent’

Home Office Minister Lord Henley met members of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) in Westminster yesterday and gave assurances that laws would be introduced to prohibit cash payments by scrap metal dealers.

The Home Office had earlier this year signalled its intent to crackdown on the issue, which has seen metal stolen from farms, rural businesses and landowners by thieves looking to capitalise on the high price metal is currently fetching.

Many organisations, including the CLA, have been campaigning on the matter and yesterday Lord Henley confirmed that new clauses would be included in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill – currently at report stage in the House of Lords.

Dorothy Fairburn, regional director of the CLA for the north of England, said: “Scrap metal theft has increased dramatically over the past few years and is having a significant impact on local rural businesses and communities. Hundreds of CLA members have been victims of metal theft, with some losing thousands of pounds repairing and replacing stolen lead and other metals. Banning cash sales will prevent anonymous sales because the metal will always be traced back to the person who sold it to the dealer.”

The news came on the same day that West Yorkshire Police said an operation to tackle metal theft has been a success. The operation, run on March 8, led to 13 arrests and saw people being arrested for a range of offences,

Detective Chief Inspector Mabs Hussain said: “It is an issue that has a direct impact on both people and businesses, whether it is thieves taking plaques marking the passing away of a loved one, or the ripping down of electricity cabling disrupting power supplies.”