A campaign that began in April 2011 has seen Gwent Police stop 21,000 vehicles in an effort to crack down on metal theft.
Over the 16-month period, 70 van loads of scrap metal have been seized by officers with two convictions taking place under the Scrap Metal Act 1964 for failing to be registered or keep records.
A total of 862 people have been arrested, two scrap yards have been closed down and 283 people referred to the Department of Work and Pensions.
Chief Inspector Glyn Fernquest said: “The force is making real progress in tackling this criminality and the fact that other forces are now adopting methods we have used to tackle metal thieves is testament to the skill and determination of our officers and our partner agencies.
“As well as taking action against illegal activity, we have gathered a large amount of intelligence that will help us target people associated with metal thefts in Gwent.”
