Pol Primett Metal Theft Presentation

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Pol Primett Metal Theft Presentation
Detective Superintendent Hotchkiss
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Metal Theft

• Background
• How did I become involved !
• Current activities
• Available resources
• What do we want to achieve?

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Background

• Global Demand Increasing - South Africa, India,
  China, Dubai, London (Olympics)
• During Four Month Period UK Industries Reported
  18 Million Of Metal Theft
• Real Cost Of Repair Estimated At 200 Million
• South Yorkshire and surrounding forces suffered
  huge rises in crime
• Public concern Schools, Faith communities, OAP
  complexes and Business Communities.

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Background

• 2006 - 395 Million Of Recycled Copper/Aluminium
  Exported From UK
• Cash Based Industry (Attraction For Criminals)
• Links To Organised Crime

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How I became involved !

• July 2007 met with five local Scrap Metal dealers
• Discussed introduction of code of practice
• Became member of National Conductive Metals Group
• Launched Worship Watch

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Worship Watch

• Concept Based Upon Neighbourhood Business Watch
• Identify Places Of Worship. (120)
• Cocoon Premises Identify Surrounding Houses
  Businesses
• SNT Staff Used To Letter Drop
• Posters Sponsored By Crime Stoppers

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Current Activities

• Metal Theft champion for SYP
• Metal theft leads appointed in each District
• Number of high profile Operations using
  surrounding forces, ANPR teams and Partners
• Last 6 months metal theft reduced by 22 value
  of metal stolen reduced by 28
• Chair national Partnership Group consists
  industry, BMRA and Police

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Available Resources

• Commitment from Regional Forces Humberside, South
  Yorks, West Yorks and North Yorks
• Identified champion in each force area
• Strong evidence of inter agency co-operation eg
• Customs, VOSA, Environment Agency, Local
  Authorities and Business Community
• Safer neighbourhood teams involved at Op level eg
  record checks, gathering intell etc
• Partnership Devt, BMRA, Worship Watch etc.

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What do we want to achieve ?

• Price of metal fallen in short term HOWEVER
• Developing economies driven by use/availability
  of raw materials
• Growth returns - price of metal will rise/problem
  returns
• Cant afford to take eye off ball
• Code of practice for SMDs, cctv, cash
  basis,planning restrictions, robust ID checks
• Reform of Waste Carrier Regulations
• Roll-out of Successful Worship Watch and Business
  Watch schemes

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What do we want to achieve !

• Additional resources into intelligence gathering
• Stronger links with business - designing out
  crime / target hardening / alternative products
• Regional stolen metals database
• Disruption of OCGs

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FINALLY

• All proposals have capacity for -
• Regional
• National
• Trans National Development

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? QUESTIONS ?

• METAL THEFT REMAINS A
• SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO OUR
• COMMUNITIES AND EUROPEAN
• INFRASTRUCTURES