Why do people steal brass metal?

Answer 1

Well it's all over the news. scrap metal theft soaring. memorials, train lines, pot hole covers, telephone cable, copper, brass and lead, the list is endless. What can we do?. Well i can tell you that as a self employed small scrap metal business, it certainly has affected myself and others like me .Let me start by telling you what i know has been proposed in my area (southampton, hampshire). Calls from police about theft ie " have we been offered stolen property to buy". Ok good start. But here's where the problems begin. When they contact me, as a small business, i can be wary of whether i think something may be suspicious. And careful to look out for any stolen metal that should be offered to me that has been reported to me by police. It might be stolen or not, but i think most people of average intelligence know when something or someone dose not seem "quite right". When the police contact the big recycling companies, they are hardly ever going to find the thieves, for one they are too busy to check with the queues in and out. If the stolen property is non ferrous, and marked, they may have a chance. We are now being told that the scrap yards where we recycle may start paying by cheque instead of cash. Won't affect me or any other legitamate business, as most are "on account" anyway. Can't really see any good affect to combat theft there.. But here's the thing that really bothers me. To take scrap metal to a recycling yard, as a business you must have the appropriate licenses. So off i go to weigh in. And there in the queue is Mr plumber, Mr self drive hire ,Mr council worker, followed by Mr and Mrs in their own car. They were in the scrap yard last week , the week before and so on. So please tell me if i'm wrong, that they are earning as myself, except with out license and tax. If you ask the workers at these yards, why do you not ask to see their license, they will reply, the'yre not business users. Yet i see them regularly. And really why should they be allowed. I'm not a plumber or a builder, so i could not just pop into one of their trade centres with out a trade card. And surely to be visiting the scrap yard so often ,it can't possibly be all their own. Yes i am disgruntled, the odd legitamate owner of scrap dose not come to me as often, and i could'nt match scrap yard prices or i would go out of business. But i do not believe the metal some people take there, has come from their home, garage, shed or garden.. I too have even been the victim of theft. i red handedly caught another scrap dealer leaning half inside my truck in the dark, looking to see what they could take. more recently i left some batteries on the back, forgot to take them off,, and they were stolen overnight. I would like to see all vehicles stopped at scrap yards, whether it be at the weighbridge, or non ferrous dept. And Everyone to show they license. none of this" let's take their name and address, vehicle registration", then supply them with high vis and hard hats, all time consuming to the person behind.Showing a license is quicker, and provides legal rights to being a broker and carrier. The enviroment agency that issue these licenses require business info e.g address, vehicle registration etc . job done.! While nothing may ever stop the theft of scrap metal, some changes may help a bit. So may be a little more thinking is needed, and may be not all scrap metal businesses like mine, myscrapmetal.co.uk ,will be tarred with the same brush as these thieves, whoever they are.