City chiefs steel themselves for metal thieves crackdown

THIEVES who steal metal from city buildings are set to be targeted in a new state-of-the-art crackdown.

• Citadel manager Willy Barr inspects the damage after a recent theft

Some buildings are to be given their own "forensic identity" and others covered with "dummy" metals as the council and the police attempt to tackle a crime wave which has caused 150,000 worth of damage in recent weeks.

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Schools, libraries, churches and even Lauriston Castle and the Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens have been targeted by criminals looking to cash in on soaring scrap prices.

Now vulnerable buildings are to be doused in SmartWater which shows up under UV lights, allowing potential buyers to know whether the metal has been stolen.

Materials which look similar and perform to the same standard as metals but have no value in the illegal scrap market will also be tested on council properties.

The initiative follows a number of recent thefts across the city, including those at schools Liberton High, Parson's Green Primary School and Royal High Primary School.

Churches have also been targeted, as have community centres such as The Citadel in Leith, which has twice had lead stripped from its roof.

Councillor Phil Wheeler, the city's finance leader, said: "This is a serious problem and a major unwanted burden on the city's budget.

"A thief may only receive a few thousand pounds for the lead, but it costs a lot more to replace and, as can be seen in buildings such as Liberton High, if not detected immediately the damage can be severe.

"Such criminal activity diverts time and money away from our existing building maintenance and improvement programmes. Regrettably, it may be impossible to completely stop determined thieves but we are set on making their lives more difficult."

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In recent weeks, an estimated 150,000 worth of damage has been caused to schools and other buildings because of copper and lead theft.

City education leader Marilyne MacLaren said: "I'm stunned at the lengths to which these thieves are going steal this material - it's brazen and disgraceful.

"Theft and damage impacts on school maintenance budgets and can potentially cause safety issues in schools so this is far from a victimless crime. We've invested hugely in our school estate in recent years and we're not prepared to allow selfish criminals on the make to ruin them."

Detective Chief Inspector Richard Thomas of Lothian and Borders Police added: "We recently launched Operation Adamant, which aims to tackle the issue of metal thefts across the area.

"We are working with partner agencies to identify any sites that could potentially be targeted by metal thieves and offer the appropriate guidance on securing a property against metal theft.

"Officers will also continue to carry out high-visibility patrols throughout the city of Edinburgh, the Lothians and the Scottish Borders and anyone found to be involved in the theft of metal will be dealt with robustly."

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