Launch of Operation Vulcan

19 Dec 2011

Kent

I officially launched ‘Operation Vulcan’ at Belvedere Police Station.

The Operation Launch saw Scotland Yard announce a specialist squad, the Waste and Metal Theft Taskforce, that will target gangs who are taking metal from hospitals, graves, churches and railways. Based in Bexley it will target rogue scrap yards and lorry drivers. The unit is expected to be deployed in other boroughs including Newham, Tower Hamlets and Croydon.

In the first two weeks of December 2011 Met officers searched some 275 scrap metal dealer yards and arrested 15 people for offences ranging from burglary to carrying waste metal illegally. Some 16 vehicles were seized together with six tons of suspected stolen BT cabling whilst six scrap yards were shut down. At City Hall responsibility for work on metal theft falls to the Resilience Team under the management of Hamish Cameron.