Protective Security: Tackling The Issue of Metal Theft

A new Crimestoppers campaign has been launched to tackle metal theft. Opportunistic criminals are targeting the community by stealing metal from houses, businesses and public premises. You can help by reporting any crime you see.

Dangerous crime

This crime can also be extremely dangerous to you, your family and your community. Criminals will target children’s playgrounds, church and school roofs, telephone cabling and so on, with no regard for the potential consequences.

Among the things being stolen are:

• manhole covers
• cables used for 999 calls
• live electricity wiring

You can provide any information to Crimestoppers, no matter how small, 24 hours a day either by:

• phone: 0800 555 111 
• internet: Crimestoppers website

You have guaranteed anonymity and it won’t even show on your phone bill.

Crimestoppers is an independent, international charity providing a vital service to the public, enabling them to pass information in relation to crime anonymously in order to make the UK a safer place for all of us.

You can get more information, including a leaflet, at the following link:

• ‘Crush metal theft in your community’ (PDF 1.15 MB) – Department of Justice website

Figures show that in 2011 there were 669 recorded incidents of metal theft throughout Northern Ireland compared to 219 in 2007.

More useful links

• Crime prevention (crime, justice and the law section)
• Victims and witnesses of crime (crime, justice and the law section)
• The police (crime, justice and the law section)
• Crime prevention and community safety (property and housing section)
• Derelict buildings and squatters (property and housing section)

Chatback has previously reported on metal thefts