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You are here: CIWM  >  Publications  >  Amid Scrap Metal Theft Boom, Operation Starling Pays Visit To Recycling Lives

Amid Scrap Metal Theft Boom, Operation Starling Pays Visit To Recycling Lives

12 July 2011

In the wake of a staggering 50 percent increase in the number of scrap metal thefts being carried out by "opportunistic thieves" in Lancashire since last year. Police launch Operation Starling

In a move supported by Government agencies and the British Transport Police, Lancashire Police have launched Operation Starling, a project aimed at reducing scrap metal theft in the region.

Officers have been carrying out roadside checks on vehicles transporting metals and visiting scrap yards to remind dealers of their legal obligations to ensure a legitimate audit trail on the metal they accept and sell on. 



Recycling Lives accepts a wide variety of metals from individuals and businesses, recycling 100 percent of the metal it receives and adhering to all relevant environmental legislation. The company is keen to work with police and official bodies to tackle the issue of scrap metal theft, a problem that continues to plague both the region and the industry as a whole.

There were 3,014 metal theft crimes in Lancashire between April 2010 and March 2011 - a 48.3 percent increase on the 1,558 incidents in the previous twelve months. Among the metals stolen are lead flashing, copper boilers and piping and cables from local train lines.

Commenting on behalf of the British Transport Police, Supt Eddie Wylie said: "With scrap metal dealers' support we can make it very difficult for metal thieves to operate as clearly they have to have an avenue to convert what they've stolen into cash.

"Good record keeping makes this very difficult and without this dealers can establish a perfect environment for criminals to sell on stolen goods, safe in the knowledge they will never be traced.

"Where dealers are found to be neglecting these responsibilities we will not hesitate to put them before the courts."

Audit Trail Checks

During their visit to Recycling Lives' Red Scar plant, the police looked around the premises, assessing the company's processing methods and examining the accompanying data to ensure a correctly maintained audit trail.

Joining the police on their visit to the site was a team from Granada Reports, ITV's news team for the North West. Journalist Clare Fallon took a moment to interview Recycling Lives' Director of Operations, Alasdair Jackson, and get his take on the recent increase in thefts.

Commenting on the visit, Jackson said:
"We're pleased to have been given a clean bill of health by the officers involved in Operation Starling. Since becoming more aware of the issues that facilitate scrap metal theft over the years, we've put a number of systems in place to counteract the problem. We continually review these processes and work hard to ensure that we're fully compliant with the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 1964.

"As much as anything, it's a case of making it difficult for scrap metal thieves to make any money from the items they steal. We were once contacted by a man asking how much we'd pay for a gold-plated angel from the top of a Mormon temple in Chorley. We told him we weren't interested in that kind of scrap and, as far as I know, the angel's still where it should be today!"