Grasshopper Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 This may have already been posted here, but here is a link to the e-petition to make all scrap metal transaction cashless. Cable theft on the railways has cost £16.5 million in replacement cables and compensation alone, heritage railways have seen an increase in metal theft (the replacement cost of items far outstripping the scrap value of many items), and historic vehicles owners have also been increasingly targeted. https://submissions.epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/406 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike65 Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Fine idea just signed it. Parents no all about cable theft now. They ran out of electric last Friday. Seems some thieving git had chainsawed 2 overhead power poles (carrying live electric) in order to nick what they thought was copper cable. It wasn't so the left it. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyFowler Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 More than happy to sign this one Vince ! :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
private mw Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 what a good idea maybe man hole covers and grate covers would stay intact and people would keep out of our skips ! :argh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormin Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Can someone explain to me how it's going to help stop theft? Are we to assume that all theiving scumbags don't have bank accounts, and simply because they can't instantly spend the ill gotten gains down the pub they'll stop taking stuff? I only think it'll drive the entire process underground even more with all the illegal stuff taking place via a third party before being passed onto the legal scrapyards. What's really needed is more spot checks on the existing yards. I took some of my own scrap along recently and didn't have to provide any forms of ID, just asked my address and got the cash in hand, but I could've said I was Micky Mouse from disneyland they wouldn't have bothered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike65 Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Can someone explain to me how it's going to help stop theft?Are we to assume that all theiving scumbags don't have bank accounts, and simply because they can't instantly spend the ill gotten gains down the pub they'll stop taking stuff? I only think it'll drive the entire process underground even more with all the illegal stuff taking place via a third party before being passed onto the legal scrapyards. What's really needed is more spot checks on the existing yards. I took some of my own scrap along recently and didn't have to provide any forms of ID, just asked my address and got the cash in hand, but I could've said I was Micky Mouse from disneyland they wouldn't have bothered. The problem at the moment is it is turn up with a transit full of scrap, they just say where do you live and give you a wadge of cash. No ID or proof required. Off they go and a bit later the load turns out to contain a load of manhole covers or what have you hidden amongst it. Scrap man keeps quite as he cannot trace where it came from and he is probably doing some creative accounting with the cash. If he has to pay direct to a bank account, you need to spend time completing paperwork, proving who you are etc. That is enough to put may off as it means there is some sort of tracing route.. There will of course still be dodgy ones, but because they are now accountable they will probably pay much less for "cash" scrap, which probably means it is not worth the trouble to get it. However that is all theory, and as we all know theory and practice are two seperate items. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 I'd be happier if this related just to the sale of scrap to the dealer rather than all scrap transactions. Otherwise we'd lose all those nice bargains ... Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
croc Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 I am not convinced about signing this one, seems like a bureaucratic patch job rather than policing it properly in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 I've signed -but I do agree with Croc in that it does appear more of a patch than a proper fix. However, something is better than nothing!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxy Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 Yet another :- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2031279/Village-phone-internet-weeks--thieves-rip-MILE-copper-cable.html Possibly the only downside of stopping cash transactions will be the reduction in profits to ferry services between Eire & England ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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