£3.5k machine for fight on metal theft

Metal in schools, factories and churches is being marked using a special piece of equipment in a bid to crackdown on the number of thefts.

Police have purchased a £3,500 machine to mark the metal, allowing it to be traced if it is taken.

The initiative has been set up by the metal team at Sandwell Policing Unit, and they plan to mark hundreds of items in the lead up to Christmas.

Dc Matt Millward said the police have purchased a Martec Printer which can permanently print onto any metal item. The printer marks the owner's postcode on the item.

He said: "The only way to get these marks off is to grind them off. It can mark any item from sheeting, to roofing materials, machinery and catalytic convertors."

The team are visiting schools, factories and other vulnerable premises to mark the metal before the Christmas break.

Dc Millward said: "We are targeting places which will be empty over the Christmas period, after the Christmas holidays we will then roll this out elsewhere."

Dc Millward added that his team have been visiting scrapyards in the area to tell them about the initiative and to show them what the marks look like.

It is hoped if someone comes to try and sell them metal with the marks on them they will know they have been stolen and alert the police."

He said: "It is a way of not only preventing the theft, but we can also trace the thief. Sandwell has a particular problem with metal thefts and we are doing all we can to prevent these crimes and track down the culprits. This is just another initiative we can use to stop these thefts."

The police were at Hateley Heath Primary, in Huntington Road, West Bromwich, on Wednesday marking up some of the metal at the school. It is just one of many school's in the borough they will be visiting in the lead up to the Christmas holidays.