South Yorkshire police in metal thefts blitz

POLICE officers from South Yorkshire conducted a week-long operation aiming to crack down on metal thefts.

Between March 8 and 15 police stopped and searched over 200 vehicles and visited a number of scrap dealers in the region in an effort to tackle the issue.

Chief Supt Bill Hotchkiss, said: “Metal theft is not a victimless crime, it causes interruption to the provision of utilities such as electricity, water, gas, telecommunications and rail transport and has a far-reaching impact on communities.”

Paul Crowther, Deputy Chief Constable of British Transport Police, said: “Every single metal theft is an attack, in some form, on our communities.

“Whether thieves target lead from a church roof, earthing cable from a power sub-station or broadband cables, it is local residents and businesses who suffer most as it is their services, utilities and community buildings which are destroyed or disrupted.

“This has to stop and co-ordinated action, in tandem with larger-scale projects, will certainly have an impact.”

Anyone with information about individuals engaged in metal theft or dealing in stolen metal is asked to contact South Yorkshire Police on 101.

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