Police in steel raids blitz

Yards in Tipton, West Bromwich, Wolverhampton, Willenhall, Brownhills and Dudley were being checked as officers cracked down on the illegal trade.

Between April and June, there were 761 metal thefts and burglaries across the Black Country, an increase of 112 per cent on the same period last year.

Churches and school roofs have been stripped of lead, copper has been taken from sub-stations, supermarket trolleys have been stolen, lorry loads hijacked and cars pinched and scrapped in order to cash in on the rising cost of metal.

Some of the yards were today being raided, while spot checks at other dealers saw officers searching for suspect metal.

An estimated 50 police, trading standards and other officials were taking part in today's day of action..

In all, 42 people have been held since Operation Steel was launched at the beginning of the month. They include eight across Wolverhampton, 16 across Walsall, 12 in the Dudley borough and six in Sandwell.

Supt Laurie Dyer, who is leading Operation Steel, said officers wanted to make the Black Country a "hostile environment" for metal thieves to work in, adding: "The aim if this day is to hit offenders and known dealers as part of a co-ordinated operation to crackdown on metal theft."

Last October, Edith Street in West Bromwich was rocked by an explosion thought to have been caused by raiders who were stealing copper piping from central heating systems.

West Mercia Police have arrested two more people as part of their own crackdown on the problem.

And a 24-year-old man was today due before Walsall Magistrates' today after a metal raid on a building site on Broad Lane, Bloxwich.