In the run-up to Remembrance Sunday this month, the Home Office announced metal thieves who steal from war memorials will soon face new penalties. Crime Prevention Minister Jeremy Browne said: “These thieves show an utter disregard for the memory of the courageous men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country. The government is determined to stamp out this illegal trade, which in recent years has cast a shadow over Remembrance Sunday for bereaved families. That is why we are reforming the scrap metal industry to support legitimate dealers and tighten the net around those who flout the rules.” After a visit to Erith war memorial in Kent, Mr Browne visited a local scrap yard where he met representatives from the British Transport Police and a company, European Metal Recycling (EMR). The Scrap Metal Dealer’s Bill was tabled by Richard Ottaway MP and is expected to receive parliamentary approval in 2013. Meanwhile changes to take effect on December 3 include: banning all scrap metal dealers from trading in cash, removing the ‘no questions asked’ cash payments by dealers; increasing each of the financial penalties under the existing regulation of the scrap metal sector; and giving the police new powers of entry in metal yards.
