Frustrated Wimbledon plumbers report significant rise in metal thefts

By Andrew Baber, Asif Faruque, Giorgina Ramazzotti & Liam Twomey

Frustrated Wimbledon plumbers are reporting a significant rise in metal thefts as Parliament considers a bill to tackle the problem.

Measures to combat the issue have been included in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, currently being debated in the House of Commons.

But the legislation, which plans to introduce a compulsory licensing scheme for metal dealers, has suffered a record 11 defeats in the House of Lords.

Tim Cox, director of Wimbledon-based firm Permanex Plumbing said: “I believe copper theft from private homes and commercial properties is on the rise.

“Unless copper is well secured and hidden, it runs the risk of being stolen. We have often experienced problems with break-ins and thefts.

“Two weeks ago a customer on Bathgate Road had purchased a house, and before he moved in thieves had broken in and stolen all the copper piping.”

Richard de Bruin, owner of Alltype Plumbing and Heating in Morden, has also had numerous encounters with metal-thieves.

“I’ve been a victim of copper theft six times,” he said. “I have had my van cleared out in three minutes.

“I used to live in a semi-detached house in Raynes Park and they jumped over the fence, into the communal alleyway and stole £400-£500 worth of copper.

“The most recent incident was a few months ago when the tube rack on my van was completely emptied.”

Metal theft is becoming an increasingly high-profile problem in the UK, and costs the national economy an estimated £770 million per year.

Aubrey Miranda, an engineer for AM Engineering in neighbouring Streatham, says he is not surprised as the price of copper and other metals is soaring.

“In this economy people don’t have jobs so stealing metal is an easy way for them to make money,” he said.

“People underestimate how valuable scrap metal is. A 30m sheet of copper can go for £125.”

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