DAY 43: Banbury rural neighbourhood patrol and check scrap metal dealers across Cherwell

Last Thursday (12/12), the 100 days of action team patrolled the Cherwell area looking for scrap metal collectors. It also gave the officers and opportunity to speak with Cherwell District Council and update them on the new legislation and offences surrounding scrap metal.

The new Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 came into force on the 1 December 2013. The act has a number of changes to the existing legislation and these are as follows:

•  All individuals and businesses must complete an enhanced application process to obtain a scrap metal dealer license. The local authorities have the power to turn down unsuitable applicants. 
•   Local authorities have a new power whereby they can revoke a license
• All sellers of metal are required to provide personal identification at the point of sale which should then be recorded by the scrap metal dealer.
• There are now new powers for the police and local authorities to enter and inspect scrap metal sites.
• There is now a new central public register, hosted by the Environment Agency, of all individuals and businesses licensed as scrap metal dealers
• The definition of a scrap metal dealer has been broadened to include motor salvage operators.
• It is now also an offence to buy metal with cash to travelling metal collectors.

All the scrap metal dealers spoken to by the team last Thursday were all in order and held up to date paperwork and insurance!

Tim Hollamby from Datatag assists with the CESAR marking

PCSO Chris Kidd assists wit the event at PA Turney, Bicester

Throughout the day the team also held a CESAR (Construction Equipment Security and Registration) marking event at PA Turney in Bicester. The CESAR scheme have proved that having CESAR registration markings fitted to farm machinery hugely reduces the risk of having it stolen. Thieves generally don’t like to risk being caught and will more likely go for something unmarked or unprotected!

Other benefits of CESAR marking include:

• Easily identifiable machinery
• Swift identification should your machinery get stolen
• Swift return of stolen machinery to the rightful owner

Thames Valley Police are still offering a 20 per cent discount on CESAR kits to residents living in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire.

The standard price for the CESAR kit is £149 plus VAT. The Thames Valley Police discount allows residents to have the kit installed for £88 plus VAT.

Find out more about the CESAR scheme on the official website.

 

To take advantage of this offer, call the Datatag booking line 01784 778 310 and mention Thames Valley Police.