Metal theft bill aims to save money and lives

A bill introduced to the House of Commons today aims to crack down on the increasing amount of metal being stolen across the energy networks. Graham Jones MP, who introduced […]

A bill introduced to the House of Commons today aims to crack down on the increasing amount of metal being stolen across the energy networks.

Graham Jones MP, who introduced the Private Members Bill, said thefts not only cost the companies money but is also people’s lives. Metal theft took six lives last year alone and cost an estimated £1 billion.

David Smith, Chef Executive at Energy Networks Association expressed his support for amendments to the legislation: “With 700 incidents of metal theft against the energy networks each month, addressing the damage caused by thieves has become a daily challenge for those maintaining our critical national infrastructure.

“The current legislation is unfit for purpose. This Bill has huge potential to be a vehicle for the change in the law we need to see. There must be urgent action if we are to avoid more lives being lost. Only by stopping the means of benefitting from the crime can we stop the mindless acts of criminals.”

The new law calls for a better licensing scheme along with greater police and judicial powers to close yards that do not operate legally. The current Scrap Metal Dealers Act has not been revised since 1964.

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