Metal thefts have exploded by 20 per cent in the West Midlands, with 800 more cases of lead and copper being stolen as prices rocket, it can be revealed today.

There were 4,547 thefts, the equivalent of a dozen every day, as criminals plundered railway lines, electricity substations and roofs. The figures show an increase of more than 750 compared to 2008, when the West Midlands was badly hit because of a surge in global prices.

Thefts fell in 2009, but rose against last year as increased demand sent scrap prices soaring.

There were 2,793 lead thefts last year, including churches, schools and houses, compared to 2,463 the previous year.

For copper, which includes cabling stolen from sub stations, the figure rose from 1,326 to 1,754.

The figures comes on the day a 17 per cent hike in the cost of construction steel, equivalent to a rise of £95-a-ton, was announced.

It will fuel fears of further increases in metal theft.

Det Insp Wayne Jones, who oversees the West Midlands Police response to metal theft, said today: “We are getting together with people in industry, such as the utility companies, to tackle this problem.

“We’re also looking at doing more work at a regional level with Staffordshire and West Mercia Police.”

Earlier this month, it emerged that former Gurkhas were helping in the battle against metal thieves in the West Midlands.

Retired members of the elite regiment are being employed by power firm E.On to carry out surveillance at sub-station sites in the region, which have repeatedly fallen victim to late-night attacks.

Thieves are breaking in to sub-stations around the Midlands to steal copper, which typically nets them up to £150 a time when sold at unscrupulous scrap dealers.

Yesterday, it emerged that raiders at the Severn Valley Railway site had hot-wired a crane before loading copper sheets worth about £70,000 in a “pre-planned and highly professional” attack.

Thieves disabled an alarm and clambered through an air vent at a section of the historic attraction in Bridgnorth.

By Crime Correspondent Mike Woods