Locks and Security News: your weekly locks and security industry newsletter
17th April 2024 Issue no. 701

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Insurers are paying out more than £1m a week to victims of metal theft

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has reported that UK metal theft has doubled in the past five years to about 1,000 reported incidents a week costing the UK economy over £770m a year.

Nick Starling, the ABI's director of general insurance, said: "Metal thieves are putting lives at risk, causing expensive damage and massive disruption. This is why we are working with the Government to crack down on metal thefts."

According to the BBC, the UK economy loses £15m a week in replacing stolen metal, compensating victims and disruption; train services are delayed by 117 hours after cable thefts; and 23 churches are attacked.

Mr Starling said: "From delayed train journeys to loss of telephone and internet connections, to damaged churches, most people are affected by this crime."

Drain covers in Birmingham are now forensically marked after nearly 1,000 were stolen in the last six months of last year. West Midlands Police told the BBC in February that metal theft was having a "significant impact" in the region.

A village near Chester suffered a communications blackout affecting homes, schools and the doctor's surgery after thieves stole underground telecom cables.

This metal theft crime wave is hitting Britain as gangs from Africa and China target a wide range of buildings. It is believed that money from the sale of the stolen metal is being used to finance organised crime. The number of metal thefts has doubled in the past five years with Kent being one of the worst-hit areas. It is believed many thieves are turning to metal crime because of a lack of deterrents.

27th June 2012