| High steel prices have led to an increase in | | | | Before we condemn the UK criminal for this |
| manhole and drain cover theft across the UK. | | | | thoughtless and inconsiderate act of selfish |
| In fact, metals in general are high on the | | | | profiteering at the expense of safety and |
| priority list for thieves with white vans and | | | | waste of tax payers contributions, we should |
| scrap metal establishments of ill repute. It | | | | take a look at this problem on a global |
| is not unknown for large blue motorway signs | | | | scale. We are not alone. This is common |
| to mysteriously vanish overnight. | | | | practice in some countries. Surprisingly it |
| | | | is very common and a big problem in China. |
| Large sewer grate covers and heavy drain | | | | |
| covers are lucrative money spinners for those | | | | In Beijing, China's capital city, they are |
| prepared to take the risk. Sold for a | | | | testing a new kind of manhole cover to try |
| fraction of their replacement cost there is | | | | and stop the prolific theft of manhole covers |
| still a tidy profit to be made in this trade. | | | | on pavements and roads around the city. |
| A quick check on google reveals that the | | | | Inventors in Beijing are currently trying to |
| problem is not exclusive to the West | | | | make manhole covers of non-metal materials so |
| Midlands. Similar experience in | | | | that they are no longer a temptation for |
| Aberdeenshire, Cambridgeshire, | | | | theives. This is a huge problem in China |
| Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire and Norfolk | | | | where the covers are sold as scrap for a few |
| have been widely publicised. | | | | dollars but replacements cost over a hundred |
| | | | dollars each. Incredibly Beijing has more |
| Councils are being urged to consider | | | | than 600,000 manhole covers and during 2004 |
| upgrading their security measures and to | | | | the city lost around 240,000 manhole and |
| investigate the possible replacement of some | | | | drain covers to thieves. |
| high risk covers with more secure and harder | | | | |
| to remove products. More modern covers offer | | | | On a smaller scale but equally lucrative are |
| recessed locks which are almost impossible to | | | | British Road Signs. Go to Ebay and type in |
| remove. | | | | 'road sign' in the search facility. Hundreds |
| | | | of road signs are on offer, many of them are |
| Councils are united in their condemnation of | | | | copies but look closely and you could pick up |
| this new trend of mindless and irresponsible | | | | a genuine and original bargain such as the |
| theft. Their concerns, apart from the | | | | Trafford Road sign with current bidding at |
| inconvenience and cost of replacement, are | | | | £30 and the reserve not yet met. A closer |
| the fact that these drains are left exposed | | | | look reveals traffic cones, village signs and |
| and likely to be a serious safety hazard to | | | | other icons of Britain that can be found up |
| pedestrians and motorists. Imagine a | | | | and down the country and which are often |
| motorcycle travelling at speed and hitting a | | | | ignored by all but the dedicated ebay |
| hole in the road or a small child or elderly | | | | entrepreneur who wanders around at night with |
| person falling into a hole in the ground. | | | | his screwdriver and crowbar finding items of |
| | | | worth to advertise on ebay. |