Police issue new warning as criminals steal scrap metal from roofs and railways to cash in on high prices

Published: 9th December, 2010
by JAMIE WELHAM

CRIMINALS are raking in thousands of pounds from the sale of stolen scrap metal after a dram­atic rise in thefts across Camden.

Schools, art galleries, building sites and railway stations have all been targeted by thieves this year, with an increase in prices in the global metal market thought to be behind them.

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal the number of metal thefts of copper, lead silver and gold is set to treble this year, with 84 already, compared with 32 in the whole of 2009.

The number of thefts has steadily risen over the past five years in line with rising prices, with just 24 reported thefts in 2006.

Lyndhurst House Preparatory School in Belsize Park became a victim earlier in the year, when lead was stolen from its roof, and both West Hampstead overground stations have had cables taken. Crimes range from opportunist thefts to large-scale calculated operations.

A day of action took place in the summer in which British Transport Police raided scrap yards and targeted suspected metal thieves across north London.

Legally, scrap merchants do not need proof of identification when taking in metal. And the lax regulations have been the subject of a number of campaigns to stop the trade in stolen goods.

Britain is one of the world’s largest exporters of scrap metal. Firms pay about £4,400 a tonne for copper and £1,050 a tonne for lead.

A British Transport Police spokesman said: “Cable theft is a big problem and we do a lot of work with dealers so they know what to look out for when buying metal. Most of it happens along the tracks and can cause lots of problems for train services.”

Hot property? Safety fears as caps are stolen from tower fire units

CONSERVATIVE activists in Belsize have called for better security on the Chalcot Estate tower blocks after metal caps from fire riser units were stolen.

The Town Hall has been reassuring residents that they are not facing an increased fire risk after the thieves made off with 38 fittings last week.

Conservative councillor Jonny Bucknell said: “In the past we have had pinhole cameras in the lifts but we are only allowed them for a temporary period. I’m writing to the Home Secretary to see if we can get more protection. People heard banging but thought that it was just somebody doing some DIY and didn’t question it. Afterwards, we realised all of the fire riser units in four of the five tower blocks had gone.”

Police are investigating but one theory is that the thieves thought the caps were brass that could be sold on. In fact the metal is hardly worth anything on the black market.

Nigel Rumble, a residents representative on the estate, added: “Security has been improved but they can always look at improving it further. When people vandalise fire equipment there is a danger that people’s safety will be put at risk.”