SCRAPYARDS across the Tendring district have been praised by the police following a crackdown on metal theft.

Essex Police have been working with Tendring Council to inspect scrapyards and put an end to cash being paid for scrap metal.

Licensing officers from Tendring Council have teamed up for the initiative, which was launched following the introduction of new legislation.

The law is designed to tackle scrap metal theft and includes strict checks on the identity of people buying and collecting scrap metal and cars.

The latest joint inspections saw police and council licensing officers check metal and cars in scrapyards, as well as paperwork, to make sure sites complied with the new law.

Chief Insp Russ Cole, of Clacton police, was pleased with the findings of the operations.

He said: “The operation found that sites in Tendring are buying and selling scrap metal responsibly, which is helping to reduce metal theft by making it extremely difficult for thieves to dispose of stolen metal.

“Residents and business across Tendring have in the past been blighted by metal theft such as lead from roofs, copper cabling, wiring, garden tools and furniture and even street signs and drain covers.”

Mr Cole said the crackdown had made life “very difficult” for metal thieves to operate.