Raiders target town's drain covers

Drain covers around Brownhills are being stolen by metal thieves, leaving behind dangerous holes in the streets for pedestrians to fall down.

A total of 19 have been taken from the area over the last few weeks with Walsall Council admitting such metal theft is an "escalating problem" and they are struggling to replace them.

Around a dozen of the cast iron covers are believed to have been taken from Coppice Side and West Coppice Road last weekend in the latest thefts. The news comes as a fresh nationwide blitz on metal thefts was announced today.

James Sullivan, managing director of Harris Fencing in West Coppice Road, said he was shocked to find the drain covers were taken when he returned to work yesterday.

He said: "It is dangerous as it leaves holes which someone could fall down if they are walking past and not paying attention. There are also concerns metal thieves will target businesses in the area."

Mark Holloway, from Pro-Fit Tyres and Exhausts, on Coppice Side Industrial Estate, said drain covers had also gone missing near to their firm.

He said: "It is a problem and could pose a real danger to people."

Marion Parry, Walsall Council senior engineer, said: "Nineteen drain covers have been stolen from Brownhills.

"This is becoming an escalating problem for us and we endeavour to carry out a one hour response by placing a temporary plate over the gully.

"We try to follow this up with a permanent replacement within 28 days, however, because of the rise in the number of thefts of this type we are finding an increasing delay in obtaining new covers and frames from our supplier."

Stolen covers are being replaced with hinged covers to make them more difficult to steal. Meanwhile, police in the Black Country were today targeting the multi-million pound illegal trade in stolen metal with a high-profile blitz on scrap dealers.

Officers in the West Midlands were working in the four Black Country boroughs as part of a national crackdown on the trade, estimated to cost the economy £300 million a year.

The high profile week of action will see officers visiting scrapyards in the region to remind dealers they are breaking the law when they accept stolen metals.

Police were also using a number plate recognition camera in Darlaston to spot vehicles which they suspect may be linked to the trade.

Construction booms in the Far East have seen soaring demand for metals, with prices of lead, copper and steel have rocketed.