SUSSEX Crimestoppers is joining forces with police colleagues in the Thames Valley, Kent, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Surrey to tackle metal theft crime head-on in the South East.
Theft of metal is now one of the fastest rising crimes, and costs the UK economy an estimated £770m a year. Heavily influenced by commodity prices and the growing economies of both developing and developed countries, it affects communities, industry and commerce, and poses a real and significant threat to public safety and critical national infrastructure. It is an international problem and whilst metal prices remain high and global demand continues to rise, the crime is big business and an issue that will not disappear on its own.
“The summer holiday season will see many buildings, particularly schools and offices, left vulnerable to both organized crime and opportunistic thieves. But thieves are not invisible unless we choose to ignore them,” said Crimestoppers spokesman Kathy Burke.
“Metal theft is the hot topic today,” she continued. “We read about incidents in the papers and many of us may well have felt the impact of metal theft on our day-to-day lives including train cancellations from cable and track theft, loss of phone and internet connections, and school closures. However, awareness of metal theft is only part of the battle. In order to stop criminals continuing to disrupt our lives we all need to be proactive, vigilant and to report our suspicions quickly.
“To this end Crimestoppers offers the public a safe and anonymous way to stop the thieves either by contacting us on 0800 555 111 or using our secure, online form direct from a mobile phone at www.crimestoppers-uk.org. “But we can only be effective if you make that call.”
Police Forces in the South East have also introduced a new scheme named Operation Tornado. This will make it easier to trace anyone who sells metal to Scrap Metal Merchants, and will help to remove and prosecute dealers of stolen metal.
Crimestoppers will be working throughout the year to further enhance and support this initiative.
Inspector Martin Pattenden, the Sussex Police lead for Operation Tornado remarked: “As a Force we are committed to reducing metal theft in Sussex. Operation Tornado aims to target unscrupulous dealers rather than inhibit legitimate businesses. However we still need intelligence from the public to tackle this crime from all angles and the Crimestoppers anonymous service provides a valuable tool to enable communities to provide information safely and free from fear.”
* To pass on information about metal theft or any crime anonymously, Crimestoppers can be contacted online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org through the new mobile site or computer, or by calling 0800 555 111 number. Whichever form of communication chosen, anonymity is guaranteed.
