POLICE and politicians have demanded tougher laws to crush the illegal trade in stolen scrap metal causing misery across the region.

The calls come as a specialist team of police set up to crack down on metal thieves makes ten arrests in its first week.

Among the incidents being investigated by the new unit in Darlington is a raid last week on an Orange mobile substation, near Brafferton, which caused damage and losses totalling £100,000.

Police believe that metal thefts now account for one in four of all thefts in the town.

Across the region a wave of metal thefts has left churches, charities, councils, schools, businesses and individuals counting the cost.

Acting Detective Sergeant Steve Smyth, who is leading the new team, believes that new legislation is urgently needed to tackle the problem.

He has the backing of Darlington MP Jenny Chapman, as well as East Coast rail bosses who blame metal thieves for the majority of delays on the line.

Acting DS Smyth said his team recorded people travelling to sell scrap in Darlington from across the North-East and North Yorkshire.

He added: “It is a huge national problem because of the high price of metal. Darlington unfortunately reflects the national average but the thing in Darlington is that we have two huge scrapyards which makes us a bit of a focus.

“Offences are under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act. There are ways and means of tackling the issue but it can be complicated. Scrapyards cannot always be shown to know it is stolen property. Only a change in legislation can eradicate the problem.”

During the week-long crackdown, a number of houses had lead flashing, copper pipes or roof material stolen, three schools reported thefts, cabling was taken from two electricity sub-stations, a lightning conductor was stolen, as were brass door handles from premises in the town centre.

Among the arrests were two men attempting to weigh cabling at a metal merchants, six others for metal thefts and another man who had stolen £15,000 of agricultural equipment and was selling it at a scrapyard.

Acting DS Smyth added: “It has been an excellent result. What we are trying to do is to put people off the initial crime to begin with. We don’t want to criminalise the scrap metal dealers.”

Darlington MP Jenny Chapman, who joined officers during one day of the operation, is worried about the thefts of lead and other metals from public buildings.

She said: “A £25,000 bill to a church or community centre can be the difference between being viable or not.

“Merchants can pay in cash, keep a register but if someone says their name is Mickey Mouse, that goes in the register.

“We need a change in the law. The police can only do so much at the moment. We need proper paperwork records to be kept, better use of CCTV and to continue putting pressure on the Home Office to take this problem as seriously as they should.”

Neal Smith, East Coast’s head of communications, said: “Four fifths of all delays to our services are caused by external factors beyond our control. Cable theft is a growing problem which in recent months has often been the biggest cause of delays.

“The rail industry is working hard and collectively with the British Transport Police to tackle cable theft, which is increasing with the price of copper. It is raising potential legislative changes aimed at the scrap metal industry with Ministers and MPs.”

Last year, there were 995 incidents across the nation’s rail network, causing £16.5 million worth of damage and 6,088 hours of delays.

A Home Office spokeswoman said scrap metal dealers had to be registered with their local authority and must register all sales.

She added: “We want to make it harder for thieves to steal metal in the first place and stop them making money out of other people’s misery.

“Metal theft is a growing problem that this Government takes very seriously. We are working with the Association of Chief Police Officers and other government departments on a range of initiatives to tackle the damage to individuals, businesses and local communities.”