Support “Action Against Metal Theft” 

Metal theft is a nationwide problem for the Energy Networks, Rail, Telecommunications, Manufacturing and Retail industries. It is also a huge problem for the householder who suffers from both theft and the effects of theft. 

Thieves will continue to thieve if they have an easy outlet to sell this metal scrap. It is not necessarily an issue of how payment is made to them, it is about the traceability of the transaction and the ethical sourcing and purchasing of the metal by the scrap metal merchant. 

The problem of Metal Theft will continue if scrap metal merchants do not take responsibility for their actions. If metal merchants continue to buy metal from individuals and “companies” who have questionable sources of where they got the scrap in the first place, then they are no better than the thief who stole the metal.

Individuals and companies can help combat this problem by only selling their scrap into companies who meet minimum operating standards of traceability. If you produce legitimate scrap why would you not provide documents to back up the transaction. 

All Gate trade transactions should have an accompanying passport or photo ID driving licence and either a recent bank statement or utility bill in the same name as the photo ID from the individual. This should be the bare minimum documentation taken, as well as the merchant meeting the standard requirements of the 1964 scrap metal dealers act. To further enhance the traceability, all the metal from that transaction should be photographed including a photo of the individual and their vehicle. 

The police should then be provided with a full list of all Gate Trade transactions. At the moment their powers are limited to turning up at a merchants works at any point to ”inspect the books”. We all know that the police are stretched to breaking point on their resources so merchants need to work with them. If you are trading “ethically sourced metal” then you should have no fear in providing the required information to the police in an easy format for their inspection.

Support “Action Against Metal Theft” in the following ways: 

• Do not sell to unlicenced Individuals or companies 
• Do not sell to companies who do not meet minimum operating standards of traceability or ethical sourcing.
• Do not sell or give metal scrap to individuals or “companies” who turn up on your doorstep. 
• Do not let your scrap metal leave your site without having documentation (waste transfer note) left with you. 
• Make sure you report any theft of metal from your premises 
• Ensure you receive full documentation for every transaction irrespective of how you get paid. This should be the material description, net weight, price per tonne and value.