FIVE out of seven licensed scrap metal dealers in Wisbech are failing to maintain records of vehicles brought in to be scrapped. This came to light when Fenland Council, working in partnership with the Police and the Environment Agency, visited the dealer

FIVE out of seven licensed scrap metal dealers in Wisbech are failing to maintain records of vehicles brought in to be scrapped.

This came to light when Fenland Council, working in partnership with the Police and the Environment Agency, visited the dealers unexpectedly as part of the Government Prevention, Intervention and Enforcement (PIE) agenda.

Scrap dealers need to be licensed and must keep accurate records so police can track stolen vehicles that may be taken to dealers to be scrapped.

It also helps police track vehicles whose owners take them to scrap yards to be destroyed and then report them as stolen so they can claim on their insurance.

The Environment Agency is looking closely at the way scrap yard owners maintain their records and to see that they are not contaminating land and water courses with hazardous waste.

The council, police and the Environment Agency will be visiting all 14 licensed scrap yards across Fenland before Christmas and, in the course of their monitoring programme, they are finding, and dealing with, a number of unauthorised scrap yards.

Licensed operators who fail to show they are keeping accurate records will be given advice on the need to keep good records. If they subsequently fail to do so, the authorities will be looking at taking action.

The multi-agency approach is a cross border operation, involving West Norfolk, South Holland, Peterborough and Huntingdon. All councils will be conducting their own checks to prevent unauthorised operators moving across council boundaries to avoid detection.

Councillor Fred Yeullet, the council's deputy leader and portfolio holder for enforcement, said: "Scrap dealers who fail to keep accurate records are making it easy for car thieves and insurance fraudsters. We are at present trying to educate scrap yard operators of the need to keep records. If they fail to heed the advice, we will not hesitate to take action.