Church metal thefts drop 60% in 2012

Ecclesiastical has reported a dramatic fall in claims for metal theft from churches during the first half of this year following a successful campaign to fit alarms in church roofs across the country.

The ‘Hands Off Our Church Roofs’ campaign, which was launched in February, helped reduce claims by 60% between January and the end of July with just over 650 claims being made compared to more than 1,600 over the same period in 2011.

The number of claims was only 20% of 2011’s total volume in central London by the end of August this year.

Last year an average of seven churches a day were targeted in metal theft attacks.

Since the campaign was launched, alarms have been fitted in more than 20 Anglican dioceses across the country with hundreds of churches now alarmed in England, Scotland and Wales.

And more churches are now displaying signs highlighting the presence of the alarms to deter thieves.

The campaign, which was triggered by a dramatic rise in metal theft since 2006, aims to result in sophisticated electronic alarm systems being fitted on the roofs of Anglican churches in 42 mainland English dioceses and a number of alarms to be installed in Scotland and Wales.

One church to benefit from the campaign has been St Mary’s Prittlewell in the Diocese of Chelmsford, the country’s worst-affected diocese for metal theft in 2011, which suffered the highest rate of metal theft in Essex, having been targeted 14 times in the 18 months to September 2010.

But having identified the church as a theft hot spot, Ecclesiastical installed an alarm as part of the company’s pre-campaign pilot and within one month of installation, thieves were caught red-handed by police after they activated the alarm.

Ecclesiastical’s director of church insurance John Coates said: “While it’s not possible to say precisely how much of an impact our roof alarms campaign has played in this reduction, it’s certainly a contributory factor and these figures are a very welcome trend.

“In the past, any reductions in metal theft have been linked to a drop in the price of scrap metal, but this year, metal prices have not reduced significantly while thefts from churches plummeted. That suggests other factors are coming into play, one of which is our roof alarms campaign.

“It’s much too early for churches to let their guard down, however. Until we can build up a fuller picture of what’s happening, we can’t be sure what’s affecting the level of metal theft and whether this is a short term aberration or a long term change in behaviour. Clearly we’re hoping it’s the latter.”

Croydon South MP Richard Ottaway, whose Scrap Metal Dealers Bill is now in its committee stage in the House of Commons, said: “I applaud Ecclesiastical’s excellent campaign and the scale of the reduction in metal thefts from churches is encouraging.

“Attacks on churches, war memorials and crematorium plaques are among the most sickening aspects of the metal theft epidemic that is holding our communities to ransom. That is why I am passionate about my Scrap Metal Dealers Bill, which will clamp down on unscrupulous dealers who accept stolen metals with no questions asked – because they have no fear of prosecution, unlimited fines or of being closed down.

“Metal theft is a huge problem which costs the economy almost £1bn a year, not to mention incalculable distress and heartache. We have to tackle it at all stages in the chain of criminality: making metals harder to steal, making it harder for thieves to sell on stolen metal, and ensuring those that get caught face the full force of the law.”

The Deputy Mayor of London for Policing and Crime Stephen Greenhalgh said: “Metal theft, especially from churches and memorials, is a truly despicable crime. We need tougher action to deter metal theft and the mayor has successfully lobbied the government for strengthened measures in current legislation. By making it harder for criminals to sell and trade in stolen metal we could clamp down even harder on this problem.”