The MP who introduced a Private Members Bill that sought to introduce cashless payments for scrap metal trade, has said that a lot of metal theft is undertaken by itinerant people.
Although Graham Jones MP saw his Private Members Bill rejected by the Government, he is still keen to influence Government policy.
In an exclusive interview with SCM magazine that will be published in full in the March issue, he said that itinerant dealers were stealing metal and trading it via “a small number of scrap dealers that are operating illegally”.
He added: “This isn’t something I have had the chance to expand on due to the limited time I have had to speak in Parliament, but there is an issue with itinerant dealers.
“They are skilful at passing blame up-steam and some scrap dealers have fallen victim to these practices. Itinerant dealers have divided rounds up territorially such is the profit from metal recycling.
“I am disheartened that every week the same flat back truck drives down the back alley behind my house with a spotty 16 year old on the back identifying metal in the back yards of terraced properties. They enter the back yards of these properties illegally and purloin material that doesn’t belong to them. This is also happening in wealthy areas.”
He added that the Environment Agency needs to do more to crack down on these people along with HMRC and the UK Border Force. He also called for other agencies such as VOSPA to work on raids to check other areas where people such as these might be breaking the law.
