In recent months, Harlow has been hit by an epidemic of scrap metal thefts. The most outrageous was the shocking theft of a bronze plaque from the Harlow holocaust memorial, just before Christmas.
The problem is that a few thieves, with an eye on rising metal prices, have stripped church roofs and ripped up railway cable - causing misery for the victims.
Over several months, I have urged the Government to tackle this dreadful crime. Today, I am grateful that the Home Secretary has listened, and has set out a series of tough actions in Parliament:
1) First, there will be amendments to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill. This will prohibit the use of cash to pay for scrap metal, and significantly increase the penalties for scrap metal dealers who are convicted of wrongdoing. This will include unlimited fines for the most serious offenders.
2) Second, the Government has announced £5 million to establish a dedicated metal theft taskforce. This will be a group of Police officers, responsible for developing intelligence of the suspected thieves, and visiting every scrap metal dealer to undertake an assessment of risk and working to disrupt illegal operators.
by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com
