Police target scrap metal thieves Special unit set up to deal with growing problem which costs £360m a year

A pilot specialist police unit has been set up to tackle the problem of scrap metal theft, which has increased by about 150% in the last two years and cost the country around £360m, the Home Office said today.

Lead from church roofs, copper railway signs and iron manhole covers are some of the items that can be melted down and sold on. Last July 47 organ pipes were stolen from Leaveland church in Faversham, Kent.

Other items that have been stolen include war memorial plaques, road signs and Henry Moore sculptures.

Alan Campbell, the Home Office minister for crime reduction, said: "Metal theft is a serious problem with consequences for business and infrastructure, from damaged electricity and telephone cables to leaking church roofs. Metal theft has even caused power cuts and closed rail lines."

The Home Office said metal theft also forced up council taxes and insurance premiums. David Bonehill, from the Ecclesiastical Insurance Group, said: "2008 was the worst year ever for metal theft from churches. Thefts devastate important religious buildings, but they also cause irreparable damage to our heritage and disrupt vital community activities.

"We've been working hard for over two years to give churches the power to protect themselves. We must remain vigilant if we want to protect our churches, schools and heritage properties for the future."

The National Metal Theft Crime Unit, which will be run jointly by the British Transport Police and the Association of Chief Police Officers, will initially run until the end of March and may then be rolled out nationwide. Officers from the unit will also give guidance to forces around the country on how to tackle the problem.

Assistant chief constable Paul Crowther, of the British Transport Police and Acpo's specialist on metal theft, said he welcomed the unit. "Police forces have devoted considerable resources to driving down this type of crime, including intelligence-led operations, proactive patrols using dogs and off-road motorbikes, and scrap yard visits. We hope this approach will enable us to make a real impact."

The unit will be jointly financed by the Home Office and the Energy Networks Association.

Source:http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk