Metals and Stone: Theft

(asked on 28th June 2018) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance his Department issues to police forces on tackling the resale of stolen metal and stone.


Answered by
Nick Hurd Portrait
Nick Hurd
This question was answered on 3rd July 2018

The Home Office does not issue guidance to the police specifically on the resale of stolen metal or stone.

The Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 was introduced specifically to make it more difficult for thieves to dispose of stolen metal through metal recycling yards. There is no similar specific legislation in relation to stolen stone, as its disposal or resale routes are very different.

We do encourage victims of all such crimes to report them to the police, so that they can be investigated. The local response to these crimes is, however, a matter for chief constables and Police and Crime Commissioners who, as operational leaders and elected local representatives, must decide how best to deploy resources to respond to these crimes.

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