Insurance companies are paying out more than £1m a week to victims of metal theft according to the ABI. UK metal theft has doubled in the past five years to about 1,000 reported incidents a week costing the UK economy over £770m a year.
Nick Starling, the ABI's director of general insurance, said: "Metal thieves are putting lives at risk, causing expensive damage and massive disruption. This is why we are working with the Government to crack down on metal thefts".
Every week, trains are delayed by 117 hours and 23 churches suffer in the UK as a result of metal theft.
Items such as copper pipe and cables, ladders, white goods, drain covers, signs and lead flashing are all prime targets.
A complete lack of a deterrent such a CCTV in strategic locations, allows criminals to gain access to relatively easy targets. This metal theft crime-wave is worsening as gangs from Africa and China target a wide range of buildings. It is believed that money from the sale of the stolen metal is being used to finance organised crime.
A few ways you can help reduce metal theft:
- Mark your objects with Smart Water so they can be identified
- Install CCTV solutions - they're really cost effective nowadays, even monitored solutions
- Install warning signage
- Have good, secure perimeter fencing
If you think you've had a 'minor' burglary with perhaps a stolen TV or something similar, think again.