Responding to the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s announcement in Tuesday’s Autumn Statement that the government will create a taskforce to help tackle metal theft, an ATOC spokesman said:
“Criminals are targeting Britain’s rail, energy and telecoms infrastructure every day.
“The taskforce announced today is a positive step but we also urgently need to see the law updated to impose tighter regulation on the scrap metal trade and bring about tougher sentences for offenders.
“If unchecked, the enormous disruption caused by metal theft and the cost to British business will continue to rise.
“Train companies are working with the rail industry, the police and other British businesses to do all they can to stop the thieves, and will continue to campaign for new laws to close down the trade in stolen metal.”
