Police crackdown on metal thieves in East Midlands

0
76

Five police forces across the East Midlands have joined together for a week of action against metal theft.

Between 24 September and 28 September, police from Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire, along with local authorities, liaised on a programme of action from a central control room at Newark Police Station.

Advertisement

A total of 63 scrap metal dealers were visited by police along with representatives from the likes of British Telecom, Western Power and British Rail. Suspected stolen material including power and telecoms cable, road signage and lead was retained at nine sites to be examined to establish its origins.

During roadside checks, 247 vehicles were stopped with 19 motorists fined for not having an appropriate licence to carry scrap metal and waste.

Nottinghamshire Police metal theft reduction team Detective Superintendant Rob Lloyd said: “By working together on ad-hoc operations like this, we are keeping criminals across the East Midlands on their toes, as well as those who think they can come into our region and offend – the message being that no time or place is safe here to commit crime.

“Fining motorists for illegally carrying waste means we have them on our books. This will deter those involved in the movement of stolen metal to stop and in turn reduce incidents of theft in the first place.”