Reducing Thefts of Metal
Lead and copper are expensive commodities and their value has risen considerably in recent years. This is due to a world shortage following an increase in demand from China, India and Dubai. Stealing these metals has, therefore, become attractive and profitable to thieves.
The theft of lead from the roofs of houses, churches, commercial buildings and outbuildings has become much more commonplace than it used to be and lead and other metals stored in open yards are vulnerable.
The following advice can help to reduce this type of theft :
- Remove easy access onto building roofs, such as water butts, waste bins and tall trees located near to the building. Remember to get any necessary approval for tree cutting, eg. from the local authority, before work starts.
- Store ladders in a secure place. This is particularly important when building works involving the use of scaffolding are taking place.
- Fully brief on-site security personnel to ensure that they perform regular physical checks of open storage yards. During checks it is recommended that high visibility items of clothing be worn as any offenders surveying the premises will readily observe personnel movement, thus increasing the overall deterrent factor.
- Encourage all company personnel, not only dedicated security staff, to report anything deemed to be suspicious on or in the general vicinity of the premises.
- Report any sightings of suspicious pedestrian and vehicular movements to the Police to allow appropriate action to be taken immediately.
- Ensure that installed CCTV systems are fully functional. Consideration should be given to confirming that CCTV systems operated by adjoining business premises are also functional as this may assist in capturing important evidence should a crime occur.
- Ensure that adequate external lighting sources are available at vulnerable areas of storage yards as this will deter criminals from seeking potential 'weak spots' to operate within. If required, consider utilising additional, temporary, flood lighting.
- External security fencing or barriers should be checked for potential 'weak spots'. It is not uncommon for offenders to render fencing insecure only to return at a later date to steal property.
- Consideration should be given to moving vulnerable metal products closer to buildings if this will improve the overall ability to monitor it.
- If possible, permanently mark materials in such a way that if they are stolen and later recovered, identification will be possible. Keep photographic records of particularly valuable or unusual items.
- Consider displaying appropriately worded security signage possibly indicating that metals are security marked.
Your determined efforts to protect your property from being stolen will prove to be a positive deterrent to both opportunist and career criminals.
