Police and partner agencies in Shropshire carried out raids on scrap metal merchants in the county town of Shrewsbury after warning them to ensure they were complying with all laws.
Scrap metal theft has become a growing problem since a rise in prices for the material on world markets, leading thieves to strip lead from roofs, copper pipes from heating systems and even attacking key infrastructure, such as telecoms networks and railway cabling.
In answer to this threat, many companies have deployed SmartWater Technology Ltd's uniquely coded forensic liquid, which allows stolen property to be quickly identified and traced back to its owner, as well as often placing perpetrators at the scene of their crime by indelibly marking their skins, clothes and other possessions.
SmartWater investigators were among the agencies assisting West Mercia Police in the Shrewsbury raids, as part of the Telford-based company's overall risk management solution to security.
Officers began their operation, codenamed “Livewire” with a raid on a scrap yard in the Shrewsbury area and another premises linked with that business, where they executed warrants and arrested two people.
The raids send a message to other scrap merchants that they need to ensure they have all of the necessary licenses, permits and insurance to carry out their business and to make proper checks on the source of metals when they buy them.
Officers stressed that most scrap dealers in the area were honest, properly run businesses but warned that further spot checks would be carried out in the future, both by them and by the Environment Agency, which is responsible for ensuring those buying and selling scrap metal are operating within UK regulations and laws.
Vehicles carrying scrap metal also face being stopped and checked by police who will be ensuring they have the correct licenses. Representatives of various agencies can also easily check for the presence of SmartWater, using portable ultraviolet lamps, with SmartWater investigators often joining them on operations.
Detective Chief Inspector Alan Edwards, of West Mercia Police, told the Shropshire Star newspaper: “The vast majority of these businesses are well-run and honest, but the metal is being sold somewhere and it is those people we want to weed out.
“My message to scrapyard owners is to make sure your house is in order if it isn't already, so if we come calling you don't find yourselves under arrest for handling stolen goods.”
Once applied, the award-winning SmartWater liquid is virtually impossible to remove, even by burning, and has won a reputation among criminals of being bad for their business. SmartWater Technology Ltd works with organisations and individuals around the UK to provide a rounded risk-management approach to security, including operating a central control room where intelligence is gathered and shared.