Metal theft from Railway line on the increase in Kent

A question raised by Gareth Johnson MP for Dartford in Parliament last week has revealed an eight fold increase in metal theft from railway lines across Kent during the last three years.

Gareth said “ Despite a concerted effort by both British Transport Police and Kent Police, metal theft from our railways continues to rise. This type of crime is utterly selfish and affects commuters through extra delays to trains and ultimately the cost of fares.”

 

For the period 2009-2010 metal theft cost Network Rail £82,849 and for 2010-2011 this rose to £417, 950.  For the current year, 2011-until 4^th February 2012 the figure stands at £686,529.

 

In January 2012 Home Secretary Theresa May announced that the Government considers that legislation is the only sustainable, long term solution to the growing menace of metal theft.

In recognition of this the Government will be laying amendments to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill to:

 

· Create a new criminal offence that prohibits cash payments to purchase scrap metal; and
· Significantly increase the fines for all offences under the existing Scrap Metal Dealers Act 1964 that regulates the scrap metal recycling industry.

 

This, coupled with the dedicated metal theft taskforce, forms part of the Government’s wider attempts to tackle all stages of the illegal trading of stolen scrap metal.

 

Gareth said “It is right that the Government is taking a stand on metal theft. The minority of scrap metal dealers who turn a blind eye to the origin of metal that they buy have to be taken to task.  We cannot have a situation in Kent where metal thieves are costing Network Rail and ultimately commuters through their selfish actions.”

 

ENDS

For further information contact Gareth on 0207 219 7047 or at [email protected]

For the full text of the question and the answer go to: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2012-03-15a.100464.h&m=40197#g100464.q0