A COUNCILLOR who owns a scrap yard where a man was arrested yesterday on suspicion of handling stolen goods insists his company will be cleared of any wrong doing.

Cllr David Connor of Doddington owns Fenland Breakers in Commercial Road, March, which was visited yesterday as part of the widely publicised Operation Ganddalf campaign.

A 32 year-old man was led away by police for questioning after nine BT drain covers were found on a pallet inside the yard.

However Cllr Connor insisted: “We have not handled stolen goods”.

A police spokesman confirmed that a March man arrested at the scene was released on police bail to return to Huntingdon Police Station on January 11.

Cllr Connor said he also wanted to clear up reports that a vehicle was seized there for having no insurance. He said the vehicle had nothing to do with Fenland Breakers.

Police have since confirmed that vehicles in the area and approaching the scrap yard were stopped and checked: it was one of these which had no insurance.

Det Insp Sharon Dence said: “The day was a real success. Some of the sites were being well maintained and run but we are looking to work with other sites to help them adhere to legislation.

“If we can make it hard to dispose of stolen metal we can reduce the number of thefts, happening across the county.”

Police and partner agencies visited dealers - two in Peterborough, one in March, and three in the south of the county - as part of Operation Gandalf.

The day of action includes representatives from SmartWater, British Telecom, the Environment Agency, Peterborough City Council, British Transport Police and Norfolk Constabulary.