Metal theft in the UK: interactive map and latest reports

Pinpointing the thefts

Metal Bulletin maps the effects of metal theft in the UK. The map will be updated as more news emerges.

Click on the area you're most interested in to see more information about the theft.

View Metal Bulletin's map of UK metal thefts in a larger format

New level of crime necessitates new level of enforcement - FREE
The sheer variety of crimes that might be described as “metal theft” makes the enforcement of sanctions difficult. More

Distrust worsens between big, licensed merchants and unlicensed dealers - FREE
The rise in metal prices in recent years has made metal recycling a more lucrative business now than it has ever been before. But metal theft has climbed too and larger volumes of stolen material are moving into the supply chain. More

If you're not a subscriber or trialist, you'll only be able to view a sample of each article below. Subscribe or take a free trial for the full access to these stories.


UK government rejects metal theft bill

The UK government has rejected the metal theft prevention bill tabled by Labour MP Graham Jones, in a move welcomed by the British Metals Recycling Assn. More
 

Police efforts must be co-ordinated nationally

The regional nature of the UK police’s efforts to combat the trade in stolen metal is negatively affecting their efficacy, scrap dealers told Metal Bulletin. More



Sita UK launches cashless payment system for scrap

Recycling and resource management company Sita UK has gone cashless. More 

UK police clamp down on metal theft with new taskforce

The UK’s Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) is launching its first dedicated unit to tackle metal theft, it said on Monday, December 19. More

National taskforce will be set up to tackle metal theft

A national taskforce, led by the British Transport Police, will be set up in the UK to target both metal thieves and scrap metal dealers who trade in stolen goods and fuel demand, the Home Office said on November 29. More


MP Jones outlines new bill to tackle metal theft

A private members’ bill tabled in the UK House of Commons last month will propose harsher sentencing for scrap metal thieves and make enforcement of the law easier, MP Graham Jones, who introduced the bill to the House, told Metal Bulletin. More  


The six key measures proposed to tackle the problem

MP Graham Jones’ private member’s bill to tighten the UK legislation surrounding metal theft proposes six measures. More 


Scrap market split on cashless payment plan

The proposal to ban the use of cash for scrap metal purchases has been attacked by many that are still involved in the “door trade”, under which sellers may just turn up at the scrapyard gates with material to sell. More


VIEW FROM THE POLICE: Tactical approach reflects the difficulties in tackling this crime

It’s 6.30am in a windswept car park in Coventry in the UK’s West Midlands, and a convoy of police vans has arrived as the authorities muster their forces for another thrust in the city’s battle against metal theft. More


SmartWater aims to bring accountability to scrap theft

SmartWater Technologies is trying to bring accountability to the scrap industry in the UK in order to curb rising thefts throughout the UK through its risk management and crime prevention service. More


VIEW FROM A MERCHANT: The police must take responsibility 

Metal theft in the UK can only be stopped if the police crack down on the country’s unlicensed scrapyards, a large scrap metal merchant tells Metal Bulletin’s Barbara O’Donovan. More


VIEW FROM A SCRAP BUYER: What it's like to be raided by police looking for stolen metal 

As metal thefts rise in the UK, the police are stepping up efforts to find stolen material by raiding scrapyards. Here a scrap buyer tells Barbara O'Donovan what it is like to be raided. More


Avon Metals moves out of ‘minefield’ of cash payments 

Avon Metals was once an example of a company whose scrap sourcing business could have been an easy target for those looking to turn stolen metal into cash. More

If you're not a subscriber or trialist, you'll only be able to view a sample of each article. Subscribe or take a free trial for full access to these.