50,000 drain covers stolen 'to be sold as scrap in China and India'

Tens of thousands of manhole and drain covers are being stolen in the dead of night by metal thieves, council chiefs revealed.

At least 50,000 have disappeared this year, costing taxpayers an estimated £1.5 million.

It is thought gangs are stealing the drain covers to take advantage of record commodity prices, fuelled by rocketing demand from China and India.

Lead prices on the London Metal Exchange currently stand at $2,110 per ton, up from $906 a ton three years ago.

Police believe the thieves – who are also targeting churches, historic buildings and the railway network for lead, copper and other metals – are even shipping some of their spoils directly from Britain to India and China.

The missing covers are becoming a threat to public safety. Drivers are being warned to take extra care, with police saying the thefts have already led to several accidents.

Pedestrians, too, are being told to watch out for holes left in pavements and streets.

Councils are urging the public to report missing covers urgently before someone is seriously hurt.

Paul Bettison, chairman of the Local Government Association's Environment Board, said: 'With the price of scrap metal continuing to soar, thieves are increasing their raids on drain covers.

'The drain cover thefts cost taxpayers millions of pounds while exposing drivers and pedestrians to injury or death.

'It is disgusting that mindless thieves are stooping this low for scrap metal. This thoughtless criminal act is not only selfish but it could lead to serious accidents.

'With most of them striking at night, there is an increasing worry that pedestrians, cyclists and even cars may not see the approaching danger.'

Since April, 268 drain covers have been stolen in Surrey. On Tuesday, 20 vanished in Northampton, and last month 42 drain covers were stolen in ten days from the Slough area.

In June, 15 drain covers were stolen from in front of a village school near Peterborough, and in April, 220 disappeared over four nights around Warwickshire.

Replacement costs to local authorities are at least £300 per cover. Councils are fitting ductile steel covers instead of lead ones because they have no scrap value.

Gangs are selling the scrap metal in multi-million pound international illegal networks.

Andy Trotter, deputy chief constable of the British Transport police, said: 'Copper is going through larger scrapyards, then to smelters, and then by ship to China, which has an incredible demand for copper, particularly with the Olympics and the demand for telecom infrastructure.'