Scrap yards probed as police enforce new law

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.