by Graham Tutthill

gtutthill@thekmgroup.co.uk

Five men have been arrested on suspicion of stealing metal from buildings in Dover as part of a police crackdown on scrap-metal thefts.

A total of 10 arrests have been made in the Dover, Folkestone and Ashford area, and police say they will continue to pursue those who are taking advantage of the rising price of scrap metal.

It follows the widespread theft of lead and other metals, from buildings, including churches and charity shops, several of them in Dover.

Two men were arrested after a van was stopped in Kennington, Ashford, on Saturday afternoon on suspicion of stealing £400 worth of copper piping from B&Q on the White Cliffs Business Park at Whitfield just after midday on Saturday.

They were a 27-year-old from Faversham and a 26-year-old from Canterbury.

A Dover man who was arrested last Wednesday and released on bail was arrested again on Friday and taken to court on Saturday, charged with stealing scrap metal from the Flagship pub in Snargate Street, Dover.

The other arrests involved two men seen pushing a trolley containing cable in Beaver Road, Ashford, a 17-year-old girl from Folkestone who was cautioned for handling stolen metal, a 24-year-old Folkestone man questioned about the theft of £400 of lead from a roof in the town – he had already been charged with another metal theft – and a 51-year-old man from Ashford who has been charged with burglary on an industrial estate.

Det Ch Insp Julien Lawton said: "We will continue to pursue these criminals who are trying to cash in by stealing metals – be it stripping lead from public or private buildings or helping themselves from houses under renovation, often in broad daylight.

"We would urge anyone spotting suspicious behaviour around empty buildings or when buildings are closed to call police immediately. This is what callers have done this week and with their help and good work form officers we have arrested a number of offenders."

At least one church in Dover is now installing CCTV to catch those who have stolen lead from the roof on three occasions.

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