Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Metal theft has become a big issue in the UK in recent times and the government seems to be doing nothing about it. A petition has been raised that needs 100,000 signatures to force a debate in parliament and only 50,000 has been logged to date.

A company that supplies my model making materials was broken into last week by completely demolishing the side of a building, the result was the emptying of the warehouse of thousands of pounds of non-ferrous metals..

Please help by signing the petition - http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/406

OK.

And this related one...

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/21165

Richard

I blame Margaret Thatcher.

A little help from Smith and Wesson around the knees would do more than any petition ever could. When copper gets to $4.00 a pound it just looks real easy to clean up. I need to get to ABC scrap metal this year when it hits $5.00 and cash out. Aluminum is a lot more work at a $1.00 a pound but I still collect it. I even collect the ferris stuff but I usually give that to other folks as $200 a ton it takes up a lot of space. Some of my Cortina ore will make it into your next washing machine. All of those Lucas starters I have are going too...

Gary

bcmc33 wrote:Metal theft has become a big issue in the UK in recent times and the government seems to be doing nothing about it.

There's something afoot!

http://publicpolicyexchange.co.uk/events/CA26-PPE.php

Potential threat to the Olympics might focus minds a bit...even if emergency vehicles being stripped of catalytic convertors hasn't managed it.

Richard

I was reading an article on this a few weeks ago. The railway cables are being nicked and the copper ends up in China.

Yep, you guessed it - the chinese make the new railway cables and we buy it back off them to replace the nicked stuff.

Is capitalism great

The big problem we always come across is road signs; I do not know who decided they should be made from alli. I order all new ones in plastic. We also lose a lot of gulley grates; if someone reports one gone in the road you can bet you have lost at least all of them in the road and prob in the next few roads.

I remember working in one place and over a Bank Holiday weekend we lost the whole copper roof. I lots of work but must have been worth a few quite.

Until they ban cash payments at scrap yards we will keep losing metal.

Jason1 wrote:
Until they ban cash payments at scrap yards we will keep losing metal.

That's a fact Jason. The only way to stop it is to make it really difficult to sell.

One of the problems is that traditionally many scrap yards have always been a bit fluid when it comes to the law.

We all end up paying and that's the really annoying aspect to it.

nebogipfel wrote: <snip> We all end up paying and that's the really annoying aspect to it.

And for those affected where gas pipes have been removed...they could end up paying with a lot more than cash!

Richard

ardee_selby wrote:

nebogipfel wrote: <snip> We all end up paying and that's the really annoying aspect to it.

And for those affected where gas pipes have been removed...they could end up paying with a lot more than cash!

Richard

Very true Richard, missing manhole and drain covers are bad enough..

Here in San Diego I worked for the local utility. Since it wasn't owned by the government, I had to work.

We too have the problem of metal theft, the biggie is copper. One genius found a way too enter an underground vault and attempt to cut the copper....................didn't go well.

Dude ended up looking like Shake and Bake................with melted gold teeth..............doh!