DescriptionDay 148 - West Midlands Police - Tackling Metal Theft (7267919656).jpg
This photo shows officers checking a scrap van in a bid to deter metal theft and educate scrap dealers.
This week, West Midlands Police announced that the number of metal thefts across the region had been halved since the start of 2012, thanks to Operation Steel, a high profile initiative tackling thieves and rogue scrap dealers.
Between 1 January and 30 March 2012 there were a total of 1062 metal thefts recorded across the West Midlands, compared to a total of 2222 offences over the same period in 2011.
Dedicated metal theft teams, targeted uniformed patrols, DNA property marking and tighter controls for Scrap Metal traders have all played their part in helping to reduce offences by 52 per cent compared to the same period last year.
The reduction in offences comes as the force announces that a new team is being launched to specifically tackle metal theft across the whole of the Midlands region. The dedicated team, due to be launched in June, will co-ordinate the response to metal theft for the region, working with colleagues across West Midlands, West Mercia, Staffordshire and Warwickshire.
to share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work
to remix – to adapt the work
Under the following conditions:
attribution – You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
share alike – If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same or compatible license as the original.