Welsh police launch metal theft campaign

“It’s more than metal, so don’t cop out” is the important message from the Welsh Police Forces as they launch an all Wales metal theft campaign today.

The campaign aims to encourage the public to report information to the police concerning metal theft if they see something unusual in their community.

This could be anything from unknown vans parked up in the area, to the arrival of unexpected workmen.

Over recent years, the price of metal has risen considerably driven by global economies and increased demand.

Metal theft is now estimated to cost the UK economy around £770m every year.

Assistant Chief Constable Matt Jukes, the ACPO Cymru lead for tackling metal theft said:

“Metal theft is about more than metal . Even the smallest amount of stolen cables or wiring can cause a great deal of inconvenience and distress to local people.

“These types of crimes are committed mostly in full view of the public, however, most of us presume that if we see people in work-type clothing or yellow jackets working on power cables or on roofs, then they must have someone’s permission.

“But I encourage everyone to question what they see. If the vans, the uniforms, the time of day or the behaviour doesn’t seem right to you, then contact police.”

Victims of these crimes are working with police in the campaign to encourage the public to report anything suspicious.

Father Ben Andrews, the vicar of St Paul’s Church in Grangetown, Cardiff; Mr Humphrey Evans, the Chairman of Aberdare Rugby and Football Club, and Mr Keith Miles, a member of the Newbridge Royal British Legion, will feature on posters across communities in Wales reinforcing the message.

They also feature in a campaign video, telling their experiences of the crime and the disruption it caused for them.

Victim’s stories:

Father Ben Andrews’ story:

The main copper gas pipe which ran between the external meter and the boiler at St Paul’s Church in Grangetown, Cardiff was stolen by thieves in December 2010.

Father Ben Andrews said: “At first I didn’t register that anything had been stolen because it’s just part of your everyday surroundings, but the strong smell of gas led me to the pipe.

“I was told thieves would have only made around £30 for the scrap but it was a real nuisance. We couldn’t use the church until the piping was replaced.

“I’m hoping that taking part in this campaign will encourage people in the community to pick up the phone and call the police if they do see anything unusual.”

Mr Humphrey Evans’ story, Chairman of Aberdare Rugby and Football Club:

Mr Evans and the club became victims of metal theft last October when thieves stole the copper wiring from the flood lights at the Michael Sobell Leisure Centre pitch.

Youth and adult teams from the club train there every week, but the theft left them unable to train in the dark evenings.

Mr Evans said: “Thankfully the season wasn’t ruined as club money paid for the repairs, but it was expensive and could have been put to better use, like paying for new equipment.

“The people who commit these crimes spare no thought for others, they’re just motivated by greed. We hope this campaign will help to raise awareness.”

Mr Keith Miles’ story, member of the Royal British Legion Newbridge Branch:

The Crumlin community were appalled when thieves stole the original bronze war memorial in Newbridge in December 2010. It has since been replaced by a marble plaque.

Mr Miles served as a corporal with the Royal Air Force and believed the original plaque had been there since the 1920s.

He said: “My wife was so upset when the plaque was stolen. We’ve got people fighting for us in foreign countries then people at home committing acts like this.

“I’d urge the public to question what they see and work with the police to catch the people committing these crimes.”

Keith’s wife, Mrs Enid Miles said: “The people who do this are the lowest of the low.”

These cases show that metal is often stolen from community buildings and landmarks, costing tax payers money to replace, but it’s well known that criminals are diversifying and targeting metal from a number of areas now, including power cables, utilities pipe work, telecommunications cabling, residential properties, businesses and catalytic converters from vehicles.

These thefts can cause electricity and gas supplies to be cut off and the damage caused to the gas pipes and electricity lines can make them extremely dangerous. Phone lines have also been damaged, which affects the public’s ability to contact the emergency services, should they need to.

ACC Jukes continued: “Metal theft is a problem across the whole country, but the public can be reassured that police in Wales are working tirelessly with partners including Welsh Government; local authorities; Environment Agency Wales; industry departments and scrap dealers to tackle the issue.

“A key part of our strategy is to choke off the market for stolen metal. We are talking to the Government about stricter controls and legislative changes that will make life much more difficult for thieves and unscrupulous scrap metal dealers.”

“We will continue to target dealers who flout the law and illegal waste carriers to reduce the opportunity for thieves to sell on or dispose of stolen metal items. This will involve working with local scrap merchants to ensure they comply with the law and identify potential thieves.”

Local Government and Communities Minister, Carl Sargeant said: “Incidents of metal theft in Wales have increased at an alarming rate in recent years and it is crucial that we tackle this problem. This is a crime which can cause great distress to victims and it also has the potential to cause widespread disruption where the transport and energy infrastructures are targeted.

“The Welsh Government is working closely with the police and other partners to address this issue but we also need the support of the public to report anything suspicious to the police. I hope the campaign will raise public awareness of this crime and will encourage people to act positively by working with the police to confront any incidents of metal theft.”

ACC Jukes added: “Our message to metal thieves is simple: you are not welcome in our communities.

“Thieves are putting themselves at risk of serious injury, and even death by stealing metal , and handling stolen metal is just as serious as stealing it, carrying a maximum sentence of X years imprisonment.

“The public can help by reporting any suspicious behaviour such as vehicle registration numbers and descriptions of individuals suspected of metal theft. This is crucial to helping police detect this type of crime.”

Detective Chief Inspector Greg Williams of Dyfed P
owys Police said: “Metal theft is a national problem, and locally it has been identified as a significant and emerging issue. We are focussing on prevention, intelligence and enforcement through partnership working and are appealing for assistance from the public in all our communities. We are sending a clear message that metal and cable theft is totally unacceptable and police, industry and communities are working together to address the problem.”

To protect your property from metal thieves:

• Ensure your gates are locked and your property is secured

• Restrict access to the roof by moving bins, water butts and tall trees away from the property. Lock ladders away in sheds, garages or compounds.

• Remove any means of transporting stolen material, such as wheelbarrows or bikes

• Apply anti-climb paint to drainpipes and roof guttering to help restrict access to the roof

• Consider installing security lighting at your property

• Paint the lead with tar (makes removal difficult) or any other paint as this de-values the lead

• Carry out regular checks to roofs and gulleys

• Consider installing CCTV to cover the property with adequate monitoring and recording

• Encourage members of your community to keep a vigilant eye on your property and report any suspicious activity

Crime prevention advice will also be issued by neighbourhood policing teams and the public can access more by visiting the websites and Facebook pages of the four Welsh forces.

Messages will also be broadcast on social networking sites throughout the week, and adverts will run on Real Radio.

If a metal theft incident is ongoing please call 999 or in a non-emergency call 101. You can also call Crimestoppers Wales anonymously on 0800 555 111.