Getting heavy with metal criminals

By Sallie George
BBC News

Criminals risk death or serious injury to steal metal

Every day across England criminals operating alone or as part of organised gangs target schools, hospitals and railway networks in the pursuit of one prize - metal.

Even churches do not escape attack.

In 2007, Ecclesiastical Insurance received more than 1,800 claims from Anglican churches, at a cost of nearly £5.8m, for the theft mainly of lead from roofs.

Metal theft is a global problem, driven by the rising price and high demand for metal across the world.

In addition to causing severe disruption to train services, gas or electricity supplies, it can have a serious impact on people's lives.

Risk of death

"It is not a victimless crime," Det Ch Insp Simon Jones, of the British Transport Police (BTP), said.

"Metal theft is a serious crime and has a negative impact on the public in a number of ways."

The force said recent examples included theft of cabling from a back-up generator at a hospital in Kent, which could have put the lives of patients at risk.

Hundreds of people were left without telephone services in villages in Lancashire and Cambridgeshire after large sections of underground cable were stolen.

You get small-time offenders at one end, maybe feeding a drug habit, all way to the organised groups at the other end of the spectrum Det Ch Insp Simon Jones

And in Kent, more than 250 memorial plaques were stolen from a crematorium.

It is not just the victims of metal theft whose lives are affected. In the first nine months of 2007, one person died and eight were seriously injured while trying to steal metal from electricity sub-stations.

"If you are going to do this you are likely to kill or critically injure yourself," Mr Jones said.

The BTP is now leading a task force set up to tackle what has been described as an "explosion" in metal theft across the country.

The force compared a four-month period in 2007 with the corresponding dates a year earlier and found there had been a 150% rise in metal theft.

A national "day of action", held in January and co-ordinated by the BTP, saw arrests made by police forces across the country.

Mr Jones said: "Within the BTP we have taken the lead in recognising the problem and taking the opportunity to say that this isn't going to go away in the short term."

Officers are using the latest technology to disrupt criminals

Part of the force's work involves engaging with scrap metal dealers, ensuring they are aware of the law and urging them to report any suspicious offers of metal.

Mr Jones said industrial areas, such as the North East, the North West and the Midlands, were particular areas of concern.

He said: "In these areas there is a concentration of scrap metal dealers, so there is a marketplace.

"For us, scrap metal dealers over the last 10 years have dropped off the radar.

"Part of our campaign is to make them aware of the law.

"There are criminals who are either working alone or working in co-operation with scrap metal dealers.

"Like most crimes you get small-time offenders at one end, maybe feeding a drug habit, all the way to organised groups at the other end of the spectrum."

The BTP said forces across the country were employing a wide range of tactics to disrupt criminal activity.

The latest technology being used in the fight is a remote controlled helicopter which hovers above railway lines and beams video footage back to operators on the ground.