Nuneaton’s MP Marcus Jones has welcomed an announcement by the Home Secretary, Theresa May, that changes are to be introduced to help tackle metal theft.

In the House of Commons today, the Home Secretary confirmed to MPs that she is to lay an amendment to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, which will prohibit cash payments to purchase scrap metal, making it a criminal offence.

The move follows a recent spate of scrap metal thefts from war memorials, railways & churches. Cash transactions for scrap metal are often completed without any proof of personal identification or proof that the individual legitimately owns the metal being sold, which makes it attractive to would-be criminals.

Commenting on the announcement, Marcus said: “This move by Government is absolutely necessary and is strongly welcome. Scrap metal theft is a ghastly crime that causes all manner of problems, from stealing from the railway infrastructure, such as the West Coast Mainline near Nuneaton, and causing unnecessary delays, to stealing War Memorials, such as the Boer War Memorial here in Nuneaton.

“I am delighted that the Government is taking positive steps to address this problem. The amendments are part of a wider attempt to tackle all stages in the illegal trading of stolen scrap metal.”