Dorset Police fight metal theft with Operation Tornado

Successful trials of a metal identification scheme in the north east of England have led to the launch of the project - dubbed Operation Tornado - in Dorset.

The area around Blandford has been hit by metal thieves regularly over the last couple of years, with thefts from churches, schools and local businesss, including a large haul of cables and equipment belonging the Great Dorset Steam Fair.

Metal has proven tricky to track down up until now, as thieves sell it to dealers.

Now, anyone approaching a scrap metal dealer will be required to present id in the form of a passport, national id card or driving license along with proof of address.

The system makes it harder for thieves to move on stolen metal and increases their vulnerability to prosecution.