West Bromwich men charged with lead theft from homes
Two West Bromwich men have been charged with stripping lead from homes in the town.
Nathan Hancock, aged 20, and Sean McNamara, 23, both of Birmingham Road, were arrested in the early hours of yesterday after a resident in Mountbatten Close was awoken by men clambering on rooftops.
A dog unit and the police helicopter were called to the scene, while response officers found two wheelie bins nearby filled with lead flashing.
The pair were arrested and charged with theft. Hancock also faces an additional charge of possessing an offensive weapon in public.
Both men have been bailed to appear at Dudley Magistrates Court on January 17.
West Midlands Police have a dedicated operation, Operation Steel, that sees officers work closely with scrap dealers to ensure they are not providing a market for stolen metal.
Officers said the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 had created tighter controls around scrap metal sites and collectors who need a licence from the local authority.
Police teams across the West Midlands carry out spot inspections at scrap yards on the lookout for metal thieves' favourites like lead stripped from properties and copper cable stolen from telecoms and transport operators.
Scrap metal collection vans have also been targeted during action days as Operation Steel officers assess the legitimacy of their cargo and run vehicle checks.
Officers say the action has resulted in a huge fall in the number of metal thefts in recent years. Towards the end of 2012, West Midlands Police was recording an average of around 350 metal thefts a month - earlier this year that had fallen to 60.
