Arrests
Made for Theft of Lead
Four men have been arrested following two separate
incidents of lead theft in Swindon.
At 8pm on Monday 28th July, 2008 officers attended the industrial site
on Blagrove Road following reports of lead being stolen from the roof
of a building. Officers attended and found lead and copper piping and
some tools. At the scene two local men aged 19-years-old were arrested
on suspicion of burglary and were later released on police bail pending
further enquiries.
In a separate incident at 11pm on Sunday 27th July, 2008, police were
called to St. Peter's Church on Penhill Drive following a report that
lead was being stolen from the roof. Officers arrived at the scene within
minutes and two men were detained and the lead recovered. The two men
were arrested and taken to Gablecross Police Station and were later released
on police bail pending further enquiries.
Metal theft is a problem which is taken extremely seriously by Wiltshire
Police.
Operation Herald was launched earlier this month to combat the problem
through talking to scrap metal dealers, conducting spot-checks and various
other measures.
Detective Inspector Lindsey Winter said: ‘These two incidents show
that we will take positive action wherever we are informed about people
in the process of stealing metal. It also demonstrates what can be achieved
if people ring the police and report crimes or suspicious activity. People
can help us to deal with the problem by thinking about the security of
any metal they have and by contact us if they have any information which
may be of use to us.
‘Through Operation Herald we are committed to reducing metal thefts.
As well as taking positive action against offenders we are utilising ANPR
technology as metal is transported using the transport network and are
gathering intelligence and evidence about those who are involved in the
theft of lead. We are also working with other partners locally and regionally
to share information and ensure that our efforts to tackle the problem
are coherent.’
Anyone with information on lead thefts is asked to contact Wiltshire Police
on 0845 408 7000.
