New Forest police are appealing to the public for help following a new outbreak of metal thefts in the district.
Totton and Fordingbridge have both been hit by a spate of lead thefts from various premises in the past month and police are calling on the public to stay alert for any suspicious activity in their neighbourhoods.
Earlier this year Ringwood was badly hit by lead thefts, but these have been tackled by the use of DNA grease-marking kits, bought with £2000 from the Safer New Forest Partnership Joint Action Group, to help police officers fight back.
Hampshire Constabulary has pledged to track down and prosecute metal thieves and to work with communities to prevent or make it harder to get away with this crime.
NFDC portfolio holder for crime and disorder and chairman of the Safer New Forest Partnership Joint Action Group, Cllr Goff Beck, said: “In many cases, residents and business owners are unaware of the theft until their premises are flooded when rain falls through the damaged roof.
“The cost to the victim is disproportionate to the value of the stolen lead. A thief may make a few pounds, but the true cost to the victim often runs into thousands.”
Police are appealing to the public and those in the metal trade to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity as soon as it happens. Anybody convicted of lead theft faces a maximum term of imprisonment of seven years and an order to pay costs and compensation.
Hampshire police have issued local scrapyards with ultraviolet scanners to enable them to work together to apprehend those who handle stolen lead.
The theft of metals has a financial impact on Britain’s economy, estimated to be as high as £360 million. Britain has a thriving recycling industry with many dealerships, both large and small, making it the fifth largest exporter of scrap metal in the world.
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