New law clamps down on metal theft
Landowners have welcomed new licensing laws that will make it tougher for thieves to dispose of stolen scrap metal.
Rogue traders who buy and sell scrap metal for cash face a £5,000 fine under the new laws, which are designed to stamp out metal theft.
All scrap metal dealers will need to apply to their local council for a licence to operate under new rules that came into effect on 1 October.
The Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013, which clamps down on rogue traders, will also give local authorities and police new powers to inspect premises where they suspect illegal activity.
As well as having the power to issue licences, councils will be able to refuse or revoke licences if a dealer is deemed unsuitable.
The Country Land and Business Association, which has campaigned for stiffer penalties for metal theft, welcomed the new laws.
Metal theft had a huge effect on rural businesses, and often vital pieces of equipment or building infrastructure were stolen and sold for a fraction of their value, it said.
CLA president Harry Cotterell said: “We are pleased to see the results of our lobbying victory put in place so metal theft can begin to be tackled.
“Farm machinery, lead stolen from roofs and copper cable taken from phone lines all cause major problems to rural business and communities.
“These much-needed changes to the system will give local authorities real power to combat the rise of metal theft.”
The CLA’s Scrap the Cash campaign won a major victory with the passing of the Legal Aid Act earlier this year to ensure cash payments by scrap metal dealers would be prohibited.
Mr Cotterell added: “We believe new regulation should only be put in place in certain circumstances. In this case, it is crucial to deal with the menace of scrap metal thieves.”
The new scrap metal laws also mean all scrap metal dealers must verify the name and address of the seller at the point of sale, which is recorded and retained by the dealer.
The cashless offence applies to all scrap metal dealers including mobile collectors who collect door to door.
The government is making available a single national publicly available register of all legitimate scrap metal dealers.