Thieves cashing in on the soaring price of scrap metal have stolen about £18,000 worth of copper and lead from Dundee premises this year, police have revealed (write Kieran Andrews and Bruce Robbins).
So far, 53 thefts have been recorded.
The rise in metal prices has seen a spate of thefts nationwide as thieves sell on items such as copper from railway cabling, iron from manhole covers, aluminium from beer kegs and steel from shopping trolleys.
Tayside has had its share of incidents, with hundreds of pounds worth of lead ripped from the outside of two properties in the West End last week. Earlier this month £500 of metal was stolen from Henderson Kerr scrap merchants in Paterson Street.
Fife has also had problems. Three buildings in Newport were targeted for their lead recently and in another incident 10kg of weights were stolen from a sports centre in Dalgety Bay.
Detective Inspector Paul Hogan of Tayside CID said thefts had risen in line with metal prices.
“We don’t see it every day or even every week but it’s happening sporadically,” he said. “They target flashings on roofs and copper tanks and wiring in vacant properties all over the city. It seems to be perpetrated more by opportunistic individuals than by any organised gangs.
“A metals recycling centre at Dundee harbour has had material stolen on a couple of occasions and drums of cable were taken from Camperdown Park where a contractor was working.
“JD Sports in Murraygate has also had the flashings stolen from the roof a few times. People don’t think about the repercussions from stealing flashings, which can lead to flooding of the premises.”
Road policing officers in the region last week took part in a national day of action in deterring and detecting those involved. Their work was carried out alongside the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency.
It has been claimed that organised criminals have sophisticated trafficking routes that can ship metals straight from ports and on to countries such as China.
A UK-wide clampdown is being led by the British Transport Police, with the Scottish BTP already recording 83 crimes of metal theft so far this year — up from 45 for all of last year.
The value of copper has more than doubled to £5246 per tonne since 2008 and is expected to rise further, while forecasters believe steel could hit record prices of £131 per tonne.
Iron prices have shot up by 40% since January and it has been claimed aluminium could sell for £1574 per tonne by the end of this year.
n A man who stole scrap metal to fund his heroin habit was placed on a drug treatment and testing order for 18 months by Sheriff Pyle at Dundee Sheriff Court today.
Charles Gray Lafferty McKenzie (55), Dudhope Court, had admitted stealing scrap catalytic converters from GRC Recycling, East Camperdown Street, on July 30.
He also admitted stealing a copper tank from Dudhope Court, on October 22.
McKenzie further admitted attempting to steal a copper conductor rod from a Dundee University building in Small’s Wynd, on April 23.
All of the offences were committed while he was on bail.
News Source: www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk