The BBC reported in September on how police forces in England have teamed up with heritage experts to crack down on gangs stealing valuable metal from churches and historic buildings.
The BBC writes:
Officers are working with Historic England to inspect scrapyards where thieves might try to sell lucrative metals such as lead and copper. They say some dealerships are failing to carry out checks when they are offered metal for sale. It is estimated that the thefts cost the country as much as £770m a year….
… The Local Government Association estimates metal thefts – of materials including electricity cables, railway lines, war memorials, road signs, children’s playground equipment and church roofs – cost the country as much as £770m a year…
Dealers who operate without a licence face prosecution – with fines of up to £1,000, limits on trading hours and the possibility of being shut down.
