Special Metals Fabrication

New team set up to target metal thieves

Scrap metal petition started

A district councillor says she is supporting a petition to stop metal thefts following a crimewave which has sparked calls for changes to the law that governs scrap metal dealers.

Tory Jenny Antill, who represents Acton and Great Waldingfield, has signed a petition seeking to stop the rising amount of thefts of metal, including cable and lead from church roofs, by making it illegal for scrap metal dealers for pay for metal in cash.

Mrs Antill said she had been forwarded the petition to sign.

“Bearing in mind the fact that both Acton and Chilton churches have recently suffered the theft of lead from their roofs, and a number of local commuters have been seriously inconvenienced by cable theft from along the railway lines, it seems to me that anything that can be done to help stop this sort of crime must be a good thing,” she said.

“Two people forwarded an email to me suggesting that I might like to sign a petition seeking to amend the Scrap Metal Merchants Act 1964.

“I am normally rather careful about signing petitions. As several councillors found out a few years ago, doing so can restrict your ability to vote in the council chamber.

“However, I don’t think that there is any issue in this case and I have in fact already signed it.”

She said the aim of the petition was to make it illegal for scrap metal dealers to pay for metal in cash.

She added: “It is thought that this would go a long way to stopping the thefts since it would be very much easier to trace the seller.”

Scaffolding stolen from Hull

Just when you thought that people couldn’t steal anything any more random for scrap metal, they are now after scaffolding!

We seem to blog about scrap metal thieves alot, its just so that know what area and what is being stolen so that you can be aware.

Sergeant Julian Hart, neighbourhood policing metal theft lead for Hull, said: “Metal theft nationally is on the rise and in Hull, we have also been experiencing an increased number of metal thefts from houses, gardens and commercial businesses.

“This is a particularly high-value theft. We are informing scrap dealers about it so they can report any suspicious metal being brought into their premises to the police.

“This tactic has led to a number of arrests in recent months.”

Despite the theft, Keepmoat is keen to emphasise it will not delay building work at the site off Hawthorne Avenue.

About 140 homes are being built in the first phase, with 600 earmarked for the site.

A Keepmoat spokesman said: “The site does have a security presence at all times. Someone is there 24/7.

“But it is a large site. We are having a look at the security arrangements in light of what has happened.

“Although it has been an inconvenience, this theft will not affect the building programme.”

Jim Hoyleys, who owns the Seaways fish and chip shop opposite the site, said a lot of people were waiting for the new houses. He added: “They really should be looking at security if they can make off with that much scaffolding.”

‘Garbologist’ not happy about scrap metal thieves

Alyce Dunn has been collecting scrap metal to take to recycling centers for close to 25 years.

“I said, ‘Whoa, cans are everywhere!’ That’s money on the street,” Dunn said.

Rising prices for scrap metal and high unemployment have encouraged more and more people to turn to the type of searching she has performed for many years.

“People are more inclined to save aluminum cans when they need extra money,” said Barry Segal, who has opened a few scrap metal centres in his time.

And the price is right for people who choose to recycle more than just cans.

Bob Conroy said that Five years people could get only $50 to $100 a ton for iron. Now it’s closer to $300 or $400.

Same story with copper — Conroy said 10 years ago it was only 80 cents per pound, but now it sells for up to $4.

“It costs so much to refine the raw materials into something we can use,” Conroy said. “The recycling takes a lot less energy.”

Scrap metal theives stealing metal garden taps

It has been stated that this week, scrap metal thieves have been stealing the public’s metal garden taps?!

It sounds bonkers, but at the moment they are after anything, so be wary of strangers hanging around outside, or lurking around people’s properties.

Sgt Damian Pemberton said: “We would urge anyone with information about metal thefts or anyone who has been offered brass taps, to get in touch. It is likely that the thieves will be weighing them in so someone must know something”.

Thieves in Derbyshire

There is police crackdown in Derbyshire following another rise in thefts of metal from railway lines, sub-stations, churches, scrapyards around the county.Supt Debbie Matthews said: “Theft of scrap metal is an increasing issue for us as a force and due to current market conditions it can be quite lucrative for thieves to try to profit from this area.

“The aim of this operation is to make it as difficult as possible for metals to be stolen in the first place and also difficult for those who seek to trade in such stolen goods.

“We will be carrying out some co-ordinated activity targeting those involved in this crime and trying to raise awareness with scrap metal merchants and the public at large about what to look out for.”

Scrap metal ban in Jamaica

“The natural generation of scrap, based on the operations of legitimate businesses, is taking place at a slower pace than the appetite that exists out there to satisfy the many players who are attempting to make a living out of the collection and export of scrap and, as a consequence, persons are engaged in illicit activities which ultimately has a negative impact on legitimate operations,” he said.

He added that if the industry is to move forward, there needs to be a significant consolidation in the number of sites available for the inspection of scrap metal.

“Even though the rules require sites to be inspected and the loading of containers and the exporting of containers to be subjected to inspections, the logistics and the practicality of doing that, because of the number of sites that exist out there, makes it almost impossible.

Therefore, if this industry is to continue, one would have to look at major consolidation of those sites. That’s a proposal on the way forward,” Dr. Tufton said.

“The other area I think would require significant examination is the extent to which entities or individuals who are engaged in the industry are subjected to a fit and proper test. There are many entities, many sectors that require fit and proper examination to determine who the players are. I think that any future industry, if it is to function and function in a way that minimises the deviant activities, would have to be subjected to that,” he added.

Drain Covers = Scrap Metal?!

Sounds ridicilous - but rarely this is true!
Thieves have been escalating the area and have been stealing man hole covers to sell on as scrap metal?

Pc Steve Day said: “These thefts seem to occur at night and in remote locations.

“Without question, a missing cover poses a serious risk to anyone using the road.

“If the wheel of a motorcycle, bicycle or even a car got stuck in one of these holes, then the consequences could be very serious in deed. It could kill someone.”

Pc Day also said: “We are working closely with the county council and scrap metal merchants to tackle these crimes.”The difficulty we have is the time and location of the thefts. It means there are very few witnesses and tend to rely on the vigilance of scrap metal dealers.”

Robert Gundle, manager at AE Burgess and Sons, in Belgrave, said high grade iron can sell for up to £220 a ton.

He said: “The price has been quite high for the past couple of years.

“If someone approaches us with a van load of manhole covers we immediately know something is wrong and will contact the police.

“We try to be vigilant but sometimes they are hard to spot if they are mixed in with a lot of other scrap iron.

“I also think the thieves often take the covers out of the area to sell as scrap.”