Metal Thieves risking lives again

Again the metal theives have been putting the lives of innocent people in Cumbria at risk, this time by nearly causing a gas explosion.

At some stage between Saturday and Wednesday, metal theives stole copper piping from the Gospel Hall chapel in Maryport. This resulted in what police described as a "significant" gas leak which could have had "very serious consequences."

On this occasion, and by the grace of God, the leak was discovered and plugged before anything ignited the gas.

But there could easily have been a devastating explosion. In the early hours of 12th March this year, a bungalow near Wisbech in Cambridgeshire was destroyed by a gas leak caused by metal thieves who had stolen pipes in exactly the same sort of offence.

The bungalow was being renovated, and thieves broke in over the weekend to steal the piping, which caused the leak.

A police inspector said it was “sheer luck” that nobody was killed or seriously injured in the blast, but the explosion ripped the front and roof off the property, and the fire which followed completed its' destruction. The occupants of the "other half" of the semi-detached property were particularly fortunate not to be killed or seriously injured - one of the was asleep in a room which had a party wall with the building that blew up. Fortunately the fire brigade managed to prevent the fire from spreading.

The devastation was clear in the quiet one-way street, with broken glass and tufts of insulation littering the road, nearby cars and properties.

Inspector Robin Sissons, of Cambridgeshire police, said of the Wisbech incident: “This incident shows how dangerous stealing copper pipes from homes can be.

“This caused an explosion which obliterated the house and it is only sheer luck that the offenders responsible, or the people living nearby, were not killed or seriously injured.”


Sgt Peter Garforth of the Cumbria constabulary told local papers, in relation to the Maryport incident, that it

"showed the offenders' total disregard for their safety and the safety of others"

If anyone reading this saw anyone acting suspiciously in the vicinity of the Gospel Hall in Maryport over the past week, please contact Workington police on 101, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

This demonstrates the need for increased penalties for anyone involved in stealing metal or receiving stolen metal.

Comments

JIm said…
A total disregard for anything I think the legal term is "reckless". Thankfully no one was hurt - THIS TIME.

Personally I don't think they need tougher prison sentences. Instead I think they need be secured in a hospital for the dangerously/criminally insane, until such a time comes that they can prove, beyond all reasonable doubt, they are safe to be let back into society.

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