A private members bill published by Graham Jones MP which will cut down rural thefts by making it harder to sell stolen metal at scrapyards is set for debate in the House of Commons this Friday. The bill proposes changes to the 1964 Scrap Metal Dealers Act and, if passed, will herald tighter security precautions in scrapyards.

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Farms and rural businesses are frequently affected by thefts including gates, which can lead to livestock wandering into roads and copper wiring, which can result in businesses losing their telephone and broadband connections. NFU chief rural affairs adviser David Collier said, “The cost, misery and inconvenience caused by metal theft is out of all proportion to the scrap value of the items stolen.”

The new bill would give police the power to close down a scrap metal dealership where stolen metal has been found, and enable magistrates to add licence restrictions and prevent closed scrapyards from reopening.

Farmers have been urged to report all incidences of crime and consider joining a Farmwatch scheme, as police and rural insurers have suggested rural crime such as livestock rustling, fuel theft and metal theft is on the increase. Mr Collier said, “The danger is that if little crime is reported in an area there will be fewer patrols, making it easier for the criminals to escape detection.”

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