Dozens of vehicles were checked by police and five have been seized, as officers from Norfolk and Suffolk Constabularies took part in a national day of action to target metal theft….
Across the UK many police forces joined together on Wednesday 14 December, to tackle one of the biggest crime trends in the country. In Suffolk, officers carried out patrols and checks in the south and east of the county and visited scrapyards, whilst in Norfolk Operation Radar officers led multi-agency checks in the Wisbech area. The aim was to prevent and detect metal-related crime, and disrupt offenders using both county’s roads to carry out criminal activities.
In Suffolk officers worked with the Environment Agency. One vehicle was seized for having no insurance, eight were checked and two suspected rogue traders were spoken to.
In Norfolk 38 vehicles were stopped, with four seized for insurance offences. Another was prohibited from continuing on its journey for being overweight. Six Fixed Penalty Notices were issued and offences of driving whilst using a mobile phone and dangerous carriage of passengers and loads were dealt with.
Detective Chief Inspector Steve Mattin of Suffolk Police’s Organised Crime Directorate said, "Metal theft is not a victimless crime – theft of cabling cuts off communities from telephone and internet; lead theft damages important local buildings such as churches and community centres; catalytic converter thefts prevent vehicles from taking important journeys. Even manhole covers and drains have been targeted causing hazards for road users.
"Once a theft has been committed the metal has to be disposed of somewhere, so we have been visiting scrapyards and making sure they know what to look out for and how to contact us if they’re suspicious about an item of scrap brought in for sale."
Detective Inspector Andy Ninham of Norfolk Specialist Operations, said: "As metal remains an attractive item for criminals to steal, it is important that we deal firmly with those who are intent on taking it. For this nationwide operation we focused our attention on the west of the county. Vehicles used in the commission of crime are often untaxed, uninsured, unroadworthy, or could be running on red diesel. By working with our partners we can deal with all these offences in one hit, and limit their opportunity to commit further crime.
"In Norfolk we target metal theft and rogue traders daily with our dedicated Operation RADAR team. Just this week, on Tuesday a man and a woman were arrested in Costessey on suspicion of handling stolen scrap metal. We were happy to support the national day of action to draw additional attention to the issue and demonstrate our commitment in tackling it."
