METAL thieves who put their lives at risk and cost the taxpayer thousands of pounds every year could be stopped in their tracks if tougher licensing laws come into force.

On Tuesday, cross-party politicians from across the UK backed Labour MP Graham Jones in the House of Commons as he introduced the Metal Prevention Bill, which calls for tougher licensing schemes that give more powers to police, and restrict metal sales to cashless payments only, with proof of ID.

And scrapyards that do not operate within the law will be shut down as part of the Bill.

As metal prices have soared, thieves have plundered railway lines, phone lines, statues and even war memorials for copper, lead and metal to sell on to scrapyards.

In their quest for cash, they endanger their lives by attempting to cut through live cables and even climbing electric pylons.

And as well as putting their lives at risk, the criminals are also causing massive disruption to the general public.

Cable theft is one of British Transport Police’s biggest challenges. When power cables are stolen from the side of train tracks, it causes huge delays and train cancellations and can leave communities without power, telephone and broadband communications.

Just this week an attempted cable theft at Acton Bridge train station near Northwich caused inconvenience for passengers travelling in the morning rush hour after a circuit failure.

A major operation, launched by Cheshire Police recently to clamp down on metal thieves, has led to a significant reduction in thefts in the county. Just 12 incidents were reported in October, compared to 23 in September.

But Chester priest Father Paul Shaw – whose church, St Werburgh’s on Grosvenor Road, was targeted by lead thieves earlier this year – thinks there is still every need for licensing laws to be changed to stamp out the trend altogether.

“I completely support the proposed change in law, it’s a good idea,” he said.

“The majority of scrap metal dealers are respectable people doing legitimate jobs but they’re making it far too easy for thieves to do this.

“I think it’s that bit more serious when metal is stolen from a memorial. Surely the dealers can see that it comes from a church?

“And it’s not just the cost of replacement but the danger these thieves are putting themselves in,” he added.

A recent report by Deloitte shows the costs of metal theft to energy networks is £60m a year, which is passed directly onto customers through electricity bills.

Tim Field, from the Energy Networks Association – which has been working on the new Bill with Graham Jones – said a change in law is ‘urgently needed’.

“Only by stopping the means of selling the stolen metal can we stop the crime,” he said.

“Criminals are risking their lives and the lives of others to steal copper that is worth a fraction of the damage they cause.”

Chief Inspector of Cheshire Police Damian Smethurst added: “During Cheshire Police’s ongoing operation to target metal thieves, police and partner agencies gather vital intelligence that can help us disrupt the activity of these individuals involved in metal theft.

“Our aim is to make our communities safer by targeting those who seek to harm or exploit them.”