Metal thieves struck hundreds of times in Bedfordshire last year

Thieves stole metal hundreds of times in Bedfordshire last year, figures show.

The AA said metal theft – which includes the theft of valuable car parts – rises when household budgets are squeezed.

Office for National Statistics data shows Bedfordshire Police recorded 472 metal theft offences in 2021-22 – though this was down from 597 the year before.

Of the thefts last year, 339 were infrastructure-related, which includes the stripping of metal such as roofing lead from buildings, taking electricity or railway cables, or stealing vehicle parts.

The remaining 133 were non-infrastructure related, which could involve stealing scrap metal or war memorial plaques.

Rates of metal theft fell from 2012-13 – around the time the Scrap Metal Dealers Act, brought in to crack down on the trade in stolen metal, was introduced.

However, the Local Government Association (LGA) said rates have since risen due to several factors, including a significant increase in metal prices.

Nesil Caliskan, chair of the LGA’s safer and stronger communities board, said: “Councils work hard to support businesses to meet the requirements of the relevant legislation, targeting their resources as efficiently as possible, and can take enforcement action where issues are identified."

The LGA is calling for the Government to introduce an offence within the Scrap Metal Dealers Act for receiving cash for scrap metal, as well as specific funding to support enforcement to help local authorities.

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, said: “When there is a squeeze on household budgets, sadly crimes such as metal and car part theft rise.

"The two main reasons are the steady price in scrap metal values and thieves selling parts on the black market."

The AA called on the Government to recruit and train more police officers to deter thieves from stealing parts in the first place.

A Home Office spokesman said: “We are giving police the resources they need to keep us safe, including by recruiting 20,000 extra police officers and providing funding to the National Infrastructure Crime Reduction Partnership which ensures the police and law enforcement partners work together to tackle metal theft.”