West Berkshire scrap metal business raided in police operation

A total of 25 people were arrested during the operation, which involved more than 400 officers carrying out warrants at six scrap metal merchants across the Thames Valley, as well as Hertfordshire and Middlesex.
A4 Metal Recycling Limited in Beenham Industrial Park, Beenham, (pictured) was one of the scrap metal merchants to be targeted.
Six people at A4 Metal Recycling Limited were arrested on suspicion of receiving stolen goods and concealing criminal property.
Those arrested were a 46-year-old woman, and five men, aged between 20 and 48.
They have all been released on bail until the end of November.
Another 19 people were arrested at other scrap metal merchants in the Thames Valley, Hertfordshire and Middlesex.
Thames Valley Police say searches are still ongoing, but property seized during the operation includes Network Rail track, 15 tons of suspected stolen Scottish Southern electricity cable, a war memorial plaque, four suspected stolen JCB diggers, suspected unlicensed firearms and prohibited weapons, suspected class A drugs, and more than £400,000 in cash.
Investigating officer in the operation, Detective Inspector Rodger Cartwright, said: “The operation is the culmination of a lengthy and on-going investigation to target not only the theft of scrap metal, but the channels that thieves are using to dispose of the metal.
“Metal theft is one of the fastest growing crime types nationally. It is not a victimless crime and can threaten public and community safety, as well as the national infrastructure.
“Some scrap metal dealers are not as scrupulous as they should be at checking where the items bought to their yard come from. By working with all metal dealers and other agencies, we hope to reduce the opportunities for metal thieves to trade with registered dealers.”
Warrants were also conducted at ten residential addresses across the Thames Valley.