Hoping for a successful outcome - metal theft

[Princess Pooper]

Our little local church has had 3 separate metal thefts in a year and basically has no roof left. A couple or few thousand pounds worth of lead leading to tens of thousands of pounds of restoration work required as well as the resultant damage from rain etc. So it was nice to hear from local police that a gang has been caught in the act and apparently they have enough evidence from Sat Nav and mobile phone records to link them to similar crimes across about 5 counties. Let's hope they can get enough to definitely pin some on them, unlike the ones who on another occasion got caught on a church roof. They were let off because they had not actually lifted any lead when caught and were 'just admiring the view'.

 

[TWi58630]

I hope the Judge gives them all 1,000 hours community service and make them help to repair the church roof. When they have finished the job push them off the scaffolding.

 

[David.]

Do we know if they speak English/Irish/Eastern European?
I would be rather more encouraged if it lead to the conviction and closing down of the "respectable" scrap merchant that has been fencing the stolen goods.

 

[JCMaloney]

@Princess Pooper can only hope that some of the buildings utilised Smartwater or similar.
Some advice here: http://www.buildingconservation.com/articles/lead-theft/lead-theft.htm
The built environment is as important historically,and its so costly to repair/replace & the punishments never fit the crime!!
Can think of a way of fundraising as well!!

 

[Princess Pooper]

Well ours had smart water - but it only lasts 5 years, which we had not been told. But police initially reckoned that it was going straight into a container and out of the country (about 6 local churches were done within a couple of weeks - that's a lot of lead).

Hmmm yes the fundraising idea might give it some thought but may have to have a word with Natural England about our HLS agreement.

We are hoping to go for a Lottery Heritage Grant - so 'engagement with heritage' will be important....

 

[Barleycorn]

They'll probably get a suspenden sentence anyway!

 

[JCMaloney]

Its suprising to know that the judiciary actually take this very seriously as both theft & a heritage crime so sentences tend to be rightly firm.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...t-prolific-church-lead-theft-gang-jailed.html

There is an also organisation called ARCH (Alliance to Reduce Crime against Heritage) made up of lots of interested National/Local groups that work with local police etc to try and stop such people.
Full List: https://content.historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/legal/archmembers-sep13.pdf

 

[John]

They were Romanian based in north London they did our church aswell, on bail till February so will of skip the country by then or just dissapeared somewhere here.

 

[David.]

They were Romanian based in north London they did our church aswell, on bail till February so will of skip the country by then or just dissapeared somewhere here.

That will be the desired outcome the Govt is hoping for then.

 

[Exfarmer]

They will be back in a week under a different name.
Our judiciary are a complete joke, only interested in centanarian paedophiles.

 

[David.]

I honestly believe that a conscious decision was made during the Blair government years, that crimes other than murder, perpetrated against traditionally middle class reasonably well off rural-ish communities, could be adequately dealt with by insurance companies.

 

[Farfrae]

They were Romanian based .........

Full marks for enterprise though; even if they were caught the next day

http://www.milfordmercury.co.uk/new...an_trio_accused_of_hacking_into_oil_pipeline/

 

[David.]

But when they have finished being enterprising there, they will be nicking something else somewhere else, probably quad bikes and tractors.
They are thieving shite and should be dumped at sea, and barred from re-entry.
Maybe under Brexit...

 

[Farfrae]

Maybe under Brexit...

Reported property crime has fallen as the foreign born population has increased though.

 

[David.]

It is only necessary to be able to deport the bad'uns, the ones that work and pay their way are no different to the rest of us, generally a force for the good.
Edit, actually the fact that someone has gone to all the trouble to produce that graph suggests that they had an axe to grind.

 

[PSQ]

They'll probably get a suspenden sentence anyway!

"... by the neck until dead", if there was any justice