Beware so called friendly scrap collectors in Stafford

[Jheych]

Folks just thought would give a "heads up on this"

We are all I'm sure too aware of the 3 or 4 vans that are collecting scrap round our streets . In the main have found them to be friendly , curteous and polite ( despite the fact that they come around FAr too often AND those ridiculous and VERY irritating horns)!

Anyway ..

Just thought would advise a bit of caution . There is one chap , drives a van with cage pallet sides , a white van I think.

Always had my suspicions on this guy as he drives very slowly and peers into the houses and alleyways . I though we were suppoosed to call them over if we had something for them?

"Get to the point" !

ok I will !

Yesterday said scrap man was found around the back of my house ! .I was at work but someone just happened to have called in to see us.

This scrap guy could not have just "casually"been there picking up scrap as we had none AND would have to go down the ginnel AND open the back gate to get where he was at the time .He "appeared" to be ready to toddle off with my bike!

No defence or excuses as I see it !..

He said in his defence when challenged

but.. "I'm the scap man" as if he was somehow allowed to just wander around peoples property

Robbin' bloody so and so more like!

so clearly as scrap metal value is so high he has now taken it upon himself to relieve us of anything he can get hold of whether offered or not!

I am wondering if these guys are actually allowed to trawl our streets? do they have to be licensed? how do we check?

Also has anyone else seen this character acting supiciously ?Does anyone on the forum know him? If so please tell him to kindly stay off private property

I think a word with the local constabulary may be in order ?

be careful folks

 

[wmrcomputers]

Only last year I had a scrap man help himself to 4 spare car wheels which had excellent useable tyres on them... the cheeky get even cut the tyres off the rims and left me the rubber!!
I give alot to scrap men in general, but I agree that we need to be aware as they aren't all so genuine.

 

[cookie_monster]

I am wondering if these guys are actually allowed to trawl our streets? do they have to be licensed? how do we check?

Also has anyone else seen this character acting supiciously ?Does anyone on the forum know him? If so please tell him to kindly stay off private property

I think a word with the local constabulary may be in order ?

the simple answer in sheffield is that yes, they do have to a waste carriers licence from the council.

no they cant just enter your property and take what they want without permission....but the only way stop them is to lock your gates and make sure you dont leave stuff out.

as for telling the old bill- without a shadow of a doubt, get on the phone now.

we have major issues in sheffield with 'scrap' men who are simply thieves.


x

 

[Hetairoi]

Last year I left a washing machine on our front drive (gates closed) covered with a cloth for half an hour while moving things round our kitchen. When I went to put it back in it had gone!

Thieving bastards (am I allowed to use that word) I call them, they should be banned!

 

[Withnail]

I am wondering if these guys are actually allowed to trawl our streets? do they have to be licensed? how do we check?

Story from last May;

Scrap metal van seized

A white van used to tout for scrap metal was seized by the road policing team.
The driver was issued with a fixed penalty notice for £200, and given six penalty points for failing to have the correct insurance to collect and transport scrap metal.
He was also given advice regarding his use of an amplified bugle used on a loud speaker to advertise his trade, contrary to the Control of Pollution Act 1974.

The driver has also been reported for summons, and is due to appear in court accused of failing to have a waste carrier's licence, and authority to transfer waste.

The Post

So, yes they have to be licensed, but are they?

 

[cookie_monster]

So, yes they have to be licensed, but are they?

honest answer...not all the time- thats why you should phone the police apart from them being thieves.


x

 

[CuteStaffsGuy]

For years now I would hear that bloody horn now and then, I always figured someone who lived near me played a really shitty trumpet.

 

[Trumpet]

I always figured someone who lived near me played a really shitty trumpet.

He should have read the instructions, possibly an easy mistake to make.

 

[United57]

The yellow truck appears to have the waste carrier licence number on the side.

 

[John Marwood]

I spray all my metal attachments with Smartwater Tm.

It doesnt sting that much..

 

[United57]

I also have heard that a number of places have had their lead from roofs go missing. I think Burton manor was one. The best way to stop this is not to allow the scrap yards to pay by cash. Take a photo of the seller, request NI details and transfer of money into a bank account! It then becomes difficult to sell stolen scrap. I noticed eon use smartwater on their substations, I would leave a shinny copper wire connected to the mains !!!

 

[John Marwood]

I also have heard that a number of places have had their lead from roofs go missing. I think Burton manor was one. The best way to stop this is not to allow the scrap yards to pay by cash. Take a photo of the seller, request NI details and transfer of money into a bank account! It then becomes difficult to sell stolen scrap. I noticed eon use smartwater on their substations, I would leave a shinny copper wire connected to the mains !!!

As tempting as the shiny copper wire thing might be I would advise against it - bound to get a bigger gaol term than the thieves

 

[United57]

Unfortunately JM you are correct. It appears the new home secretary does not want to send criminals to prison ! I always thought the Conservatives were tough on crime, lock em up and throw away the key !

 

[dawnofwar]

Have just caught "The Scrap Man" rifling through my skip....gave him a heartattack when i opened the door and asked him what he thought he was doing. His excuse "i;ve had stuff from you before when the builders were here", well the builders aren't here any more!

I wouldn't have minded if he had knocked the door and asked first! Cheeky Blighters.

 

[tek-monkey]

Leave mouse traps in it in future.

EDIT: And the odd razor blade. It is a skip after all, can't be blamed for throwing away your old blades in your own skips.

 

[cookie_monster]

I noticed eon use smartwater on their substations, I would leave a shinny copper wire connected to the mains !!!

some bright spark () in sheffield managed to knock out power to 400 homes this weekend by nicking some of the inner components for scrap.

not only were these homes without power, but the power surges afterwards causing several domestic appliances to blow up.

what a numpty.


x

 

[CuteStaffsGuy]

Unfortunately JM you are correct. It appears the new home secretary does not want to send criminals to prison ! I always thought the Conservatives were tough on crime, lock em up and throw away the key !

Be fair, Labour didn't really do that much about it either, I dislike all politicians since they ultimately serve only their own interests but the conservatives have inherited a lot of problems from Labour and now they're getting the flack for having to put them right. It's long overdue that someone, or rather everyone, stood up and reminded the politicians that THEY work for US.

Have just caught "The Scrap Man" rifling through my skip....gave him a heartattack when i opened the door and asked him what he thought he was doing. His excuse "i;ve had stuff from you before when the builders were here", well the builders aren't here any more!

I wouldn't have minded if he had knocked the door and asked first! Cheeky Blighters.

I had a skip last year, loved it when the scrap man took a load of stuff out of it, it saved me going over the load limit. The only problem I have with skips is cheeky sods putting their stuff in it.

 

[shoes]

Same thing on building sites - hundreds of thousands, sometimes millions of pounds worth of copper, steel, iron, tools and equipment lying around. Thieves love it, these days they have all sorts on the big projects to secure them - biometric scanning seems to be the current favourite. Either finger print scanners or retinal scanners, connected to a burley turnstile.

Copper is pretty expensive at the moment so cables are hot favourite, and earthing bars like this one:

 

[CuteStaffsGuy]

I'm sure someone pinched all the lead from a charity shops windows or a church's windows a few years back. So sad people will go so low.

 

[shoes]

Church roof thefts used to be quite regular. You're right though, very sad.