Police launch anti-scrap metal theft campaign

A CAMPAIGN to encourage people to report metal thefts that cause “massive disruption and inconvenience” has been launched by the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (Acpos) and charity Crimestoppers.

The association said that metal theft costs the UK economy an estimated £770 million a year and has been described as a “challenge as big as terrorism”as it called on people to report the thefts anonymously to Crimestoppers.

As well as targeting cables, which disrupt trains, power supplies, telephone and internet connections, thieves have stolen manhole covers, lead from church rooftops and plaques from war memorials, according to Acpos.

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Chief Superintendent Ellie Bird, area commander for the Scotland area of British Transport Police and chairman of the Acpos metal theft group, said: “The public should be assured that the police and our partner agencies are working closely to clamp down on these thieves and the unscrupulous metal dealers who continue to trade in stolen metal.

“We do however still need valuable assistance from the public and the campaign, which includes hard-hitting radio advertising, is designed to make them aware of the scale of an issue which continues to blight their communities and take their own action by reporting it.”

Scotland’s Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill joined officers from the British Transport Police and Lothian and Borders Police, as well as officials from BT Openreach, Scottish Power and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, to launch the national, multi-agency campaign, Cut Out Metal Theft, in Edinburgh.