Express & Star

Scrap metal laws 'being flouted'

New laws over scrap metal dealing brought in six years ago were hoped to put a halt to put a halt to drain cover thefts, but just this week Black Country roads have been targeted by criminals and made a danger for drivers.

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Drain cover thefts is an issue nation-wide and as recently as this week more than 100 manholes have been taken by thieves in areas of Walsall and Wolverhampton.

Just eight months ago 19 drain covers were taken in the borough in 48 hours, costing £3,000.

Now Walsall Council has estimated the cost to replace the covers will be at least £20,000 – the equivalent of cleaning more than 2,250 drains or filling 300 potholes.

And West Midlands Police have said drains can be more than one metre deep and missing covers could be a risk to both drivers and pedestrians, particularly at night.

One Walsall scrap metal dealer, who wanted to remain anonymous, said the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 had put a halt to metal theft in the Black Country.

He said: "The metal theft had been curbed with the Scrap Metal Dealers Act, I honestly don't know where they could be taking them at the moment.

"The act came in in 2013 and it means you can't pay cash and you've got to take photographic identification from the person who is selling it among other things.

"That's stopped a lot of the illegal activity but I do hear from time to time about people flouting the law.

"People that come in here know what we buy and that is one thing we don't but it does come around from time to time.

"There are scrap merchants around that are flouting the laws by accepting cash."

The director estimated that each drain cover could be sold for about £5 – meaning the 100 stolen could potentially be sold for roughly £500.

He added: "The only ones I ever accept are from people who have ID with the frame too, you wouldn't just take the cover without the frame because you have an idea it might have been stolen.

"But if it was a broken one that is different, but you wouldn't accept that quantity of 100."

Back in 2012 it was reported that drain covers stolen by metal thieves were to be replaced with plastic alternatives by Sandwell and Dudley councils at a cost of around £239,000.

Councillors said at the time that the dangers to the public caused by the theft of manhole and drain covers mean that swift and decisive action was required.

If you have any information which would assist officers with their investigation, including any home CCTV footage, contact West Midlands Police via Live Chat at west-midlands.police.uk between 8am to midnight, call 101 anytime or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.