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Posted by Tony Flynn on 25th January 2012 at 12:04 PM
GMP continues battle to put metal thieves behind bars
Greater Manchester Police is continuing its fight against metal theft today (Wednesday 25 January) with a forcewide day of action that will see more than 120 officers raiding 16 scrap yards across the county.

The high impact enforcement activity is part of Operation Alloy that was set up in September last year to help stem the rise in metal thefts driven by increasing commodity prices for lead and copper.

Officers say that they are keen to continue the robust police activity of last year that helped reduce metal theft offences from a peak of 870 in May to 330 in December, a reduction of 62 per cent equating to 540 fewer victims of crime.

Operation Alloy will see specialist operations and neighbourhood policing officers supported by engineers from telecoms, electricity, water and tram and train networks searching the suspect scrap yards for metals that may have been stolen from their networks. Roadside checks on vehicles of people suspected to be transporting stolen metals will also take place in the vicinity of the targeted scrap metal yards.

Officers from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs will support the operation by checking vehicles suspected of using red diesel and the Environment Agency will be checking that businesses are disposing of waste legally and safely.

Three similar operations in the last six months have led to more than 90 arrests and the recovery of thousands of pounds worth of stolen cable and metals and the seizure of more than 150 vehicles for insurance and other offences.

Detective Chief Inspector Julian Snowball who is leading the day of action said: “Through Operation Alloy we have been targeting metal thieves in the scrap metal yards where they off load their ill-gotten gains, on the roads when they are transporting stolen metals and in the communities where they spread misery by stealing metals from people’s homes and community buildings.

“More than half of metal thefts in Greater Manchester are from the homes of ordinary, often vulnerable people causing them physical and financial hardship that is particularly painful in the current financial and physical climate.

“We have worked hard in the last year to substantially reduce metal thefts. In 2012 we will be maintaining this level of pressure and continuing to put these criminals behind bars.

“We will also be supporting scrap metal dealerships in adopting work practices that will help them to deter and detect metal theft and provide us with information on suspicious activity.

“People can help by making their homes, businesses and community buildings less vulnerable to thieves by using security lights, fencing, alarms and good locks to keep thieves at bay.

“They can also help us by providing information about suspicious activity either directly to us on 101, the new single non-emergency number or anonymously through the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Source: GMP.



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