Scrap yards probed as police enforce new law

SCRAP dealers were targeted in a “day of action” staged by a Yorkshire police force yesterday to coincide with the introduction of a new law to clamp down on metal thieves.

The Legal Aid, Sentencing  and Punishment of Offenders  Act 2012 (LASPO Act 2012) came into force yesterday and  amended the Scrap Metal  Dealers Act which dated back to 1964.

According to the Government, the new legislation will better regulate the sale of scrap  metal by introducing new  offences and powers for  police forces in England and Wales.

One of the main changes brought in under the new law makes it illegal for scrap dealers to pay in cash for scrap, making it much harder for thieves to sell on their hauls.

Officers in South Yorkshire  said they had used “all  available powers to disrupt  the transport and disposal of  metal theft, through targeting  the road network and scrap yards”.

Last night the force said it had made several arrests and had searched a total of 130 vehicles throughout the day, tracking down some stolen metal, including copper.

A force spokesman said that  the first arrest of the day  involved a Doncaster man in  his 40s who was arrested on  suspicion of stealing metal  worth £35,000 and theft of a vehicle.

Officers also said that they had seized 18 Calor gas bottles across South Yorkshire, and reminded people that they should not be sold as scrap but returned to a licenced gas dealer.

Metal beer kegs were also recovered as part of the operation, and these were handed to the national Kegwatch campaign, which aims to ensure that the beer industry does not lose cash through keg theft.

Two other people, a man and a woman, both in their 20s were also arrested in Doncaster, on suspicion of stealing copper.