Scrap Metal Seizure In Wrexham Area

A crackdown on illegal scrap metal collectors has led to the seizure of tons of scrap across North Wales.

Twenty eight North Wales Police officers took part in a three day exercise this week targeting illegal scrap metal collectors. The operation, supported by the local authorities, managed to intercept and seize six lorry loads of scrap from unregistered scrap collectors. The metal was then disposed of via local scrap business who supported the operation.

One load was seized in the Wrexham area, two in Conwy and three in Denbighshire. Proceeds of the seizures will be used to fund further multi-agency activity in the future.

By law a scrap metal collector must be registered with the local council and must record details of all transactions; if they don’t, then they face having any metal seized and disposed of. Whatever is in the back of the vehicle must be accounted for irrespective of whether or not it was paid for or freely given.

Andy Hunter Regional Coordinator for the National Metal Theft Taskforce commented “I would like to express my gratitude to those who assisted the police. Without their help the police could not undertake this type of operation”.

Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Williams, the force strategic lead for metal theft, said “This forms part of a continued commitment by the North Wales Police to reduce metal related criminality, which disrupts our communities on many different levels, and we are having some significant success in this regard; theft of metal is currently showing a reduction of 54% against this time last year.”

“This type of activity demonstrates a keen partnership approach between several agencies, including the local authorities and I think this is of particular note. Working together in this fashion ensures that the commission of metal related criminality is becoming more and more difficult in the North Wales region; an outcome we are determined to maintain.”