Police record fall in metal theft crime

Two Midlands men are the latest to have been charged with stripping lead from homes in a West Bromwich street as part of a crackdown on metal theft which police say has resulted in a dramatic fall in the number of incidents.

Nathan Hancock and Sean McNamara were arrested in the early hours of Friday (30 Dec) after a resident in Mountbatten Close was awoken by men clambering on rooftops.

A dog unit and the police helicopter were called to the scene, while response officers found two wheelie bins nearby filled with lead flashing.

Hancock (20) and 23-year-old McNamara – both from Birmingham Road in West Bromwich – were arrested and charged with theft. Hancock also faces an additional charge of possessing an offensive weapon in public.

Both men have been bailed to appear at Dudley Magistrates Court on 17 January.

West Midlands Police say their Operation, aptly named 'Operation Steel' is an initiative that sees officers work closely with scrap dealers to ensure they are not providing a market for stolen metal.

It comes as The Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 has been credited with creating tighter controls around scrap metal sites and collectors who need a licence from the local authority.

Police teams across the West Midlands carry out spot inspections at scrap yards on the lookout for metal thieves’ favourites like lead stripped from properties and copper cable stolen from telecoms and transport operators.

And scrap metal collection vans have also been targeted during action days as Operation Steel officers assess the legitimacy of their cargo and run vehicle checks.

West Midlands Police say the action has resulted in a huge fall in the number of metal thefts in recent years. Towards the end of 2012, West Midlands Police was recording an average of around 350 metal thefts a month - but earlier this year that had fallen to 60.