There are on average more than 15,000 cases of metal theft a year in the UK. Copper pipes, boilers, electrical cables, lead roofing, water tanks, stainless steel and aluminium equipment, radiators, and other metals can be subject to theft. Unoccupied properties are particularly at risk. We prevent metal theft by placing live-in guardians and charities to occupy property instead of them being left vacant.

Unoccupied properties are particularly at risk. We prevent metal theft by placing live-in guardians and charities to occupy property instead of them being left vacant

The lights are on and eyes and ears are present throughout the building. This prevents metal from inside the building being targeted by metal thieves and anyone who attempts to steal metal from the outside of the property can be quickly observed, dispersed and reported to the police.

We can also install CCTV systems around vulnerable metal located on the outside of the buildings to further bolster protection.

With our live-in guardians on-site, a property will be occupied and appear as though it is functioning as normal. This makes it highly unlikely it will be targeted for metal theft. We select live-in guardians who have alternate working patterns to maximise the time that the guardians are in and around the property.

The 2013 Scrap Metal Dealers Act has been very effective at bringing down metal theft, with figures dropping from 60,000 cases a year to the current average of 15,000 cases a year within four years.

Legislation may have achieved all it can and further reductions in cases of metal theft will be gained by improvements in security and management from landlords and local councils. A report by the Local Government Association urges councils to take precautions to reduce the opportunity for thieves.

When metal is stolen from vacant buildings there is often significant peripheral damage. When water systems are not isolated, removing piping will cause flooding. Ceilings and walls can be entirely destroyed when cables are forcefully removed.

Such thefts can result in severe damage to a building’s infrastructure, costly waste removal, lengthy dialogue with insurance companies and in some cases it may cost more to re-instate services and bring the building back into an habitable state for letting than it would be to rebuild. 

There have also been cases where the destruction and damage caused by metal theft has resulted in insurers classifying the building as a write-off.