The big steel
October 26th 2007

A rise in metal thefts across the UK is hindering production and posing a potential health and safety headache for many plant operators.

Soaring demand for metal in India and China is thought to be forcing prices up and making the theft of even small quantities of metal lucrative for thieves to sell on as scrap.

The BBC reports it has obtained figures showing that in Cambridgeshire metal theft is up 170% in a year, in West Mercia 120%, in the West Midlands 112% and 100% in Warwickshire and Sussex.

Incidents reported to local police departments include the theft of lead from roofs and overhead cabling where thieves have risked coming in to contact with 25,000-volt overhead lines to access the metal.

A nationwide task force has been set up in response to the thefts and business operators are being advised to install extra security measures to deter thieves.

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