Advice on metal theft issued as reports across the county rise

Reports of metal thefts across the county are on the rise.

In the period December 2025 – February 2026, metal theft had increased by 114% when compared to the same period the previous year.

We know that the price of certain metals is going up, which then creates a market for criminals who steal scrap metal, copper cabling, piping from empty homes undergoing renovation, agricultural batteries and fencing, catalytic converters, and roofing materials, to name a few.

In response to this, we are working with regional and national colleagues around the issues to identify organised criminality linked to this type of offending.

Last month, two men were arrested in Andover who were suspected to have travelled cross border to steal copper cable. They were bailed while the investigation continues, led by the Country Watch Rural Crime Task Force.

We are also routinely reviewing metal theft reports to ensure all lines of enquiry are progressed, to ascertain patterns of offending, and patrols are being conducted in rural isolated areas where repeat offending is being seen.

Advice and Prevention

Catalytic Converters

We have a dedicated page on our website regarding catalytic converter theft, and encourage anyone whose vehicle has one to read this here:

https://www.hampshire.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/keeping-vehicles-safe/catalytic-converter-theft/

Battery Thefts

Opportunistic thieves are known to target rural batteries. Batteries have a number of uses in rural areas including for electric fencing, vehicles, farming, camping and solar panels.

Thieves sell stolen batteries at scrapyards for their lead content. Battery theft not only puts owners at a financial loss but also, in some cases, this type of crime is a risk to livestock escaping.

Deter criminals by etching your postcode onto any high value batteries before painting them pink – this will make them unmissable, and marking them in this way deters thieves from stealing them as there’s a better chance of detection.

Read more in our leaflet here: https://www.hampshire.police.uk/SysSiteAssets/media/downloads/hampshire/advice/paint-it-pink-a5-leaflet.pdf

Empty homes undergoing renovation

If you currently have an empty property or have one undergoing renovations, then please consider where fittings that have been removed, or are waiting to be fitted, are left. Ensure that they are not obvious to passersby or to anyone calling at the address.

Infrastructure Crime

Industrial sites can be a targeted for thieves looking to steal cabling or other metals.

Some of the signs of suspicious activity to look out for include:

• Unmarked vehicles at or near access points, construction or building sites. Most organisations have marked vehicles with visible company details, although some smaller companies or individual workers may not.
• Unfamiliar individuals loitering around access points, depot entrances or locations where at-risk items are located.
• Consider threat of internal crime – suspicious behaviour by employees/ contractors.
• Check perimeter fencing for indicators of criminal reconnaissance such as markers tied to fencing. Check boundaries to look for gaps or damage which may be a sign of illegal access.
• Work taking place on construction or building sites outside of normal working hours. The local planning authority will know the hours attached to any planning consent within their area, so make an enquiry.
• Unlocked access gates into a building, construction or storage facility without any clear work taking place should always be investigated.
• Some criminals may use graffiti style symbols to mark areas where there is cable, metal or other at-risk items suitable for stealing.

Some preventative measures to consider:

• Ensure CCTV systems are working and that images obtained are of good quality.
• Check perimeter CCTV to make sure individual cameras are not obscured by trees or have been damaged and are still providing coverage of the appropriate perimeter points.
• Ensure any alarm monitoring company has up to date contact details and has an effective escalation process should suspicious activity be seen at a site.
• Check site access points to ensure they are secure. Report any insecurities or concerns you may have to the police.
• Report any suspicious activity, or activity which is outside what you would normally expect to see, however insignificant it may seem.
• Engage with the local community around your site and encourage them to report suspicious activity.

Suspicious incidents can be reported to police, or by calling Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. If your site is targeted it is crucial that you report this to police. If a crime is in progress, dial 999. In a non-emergency situation, you can call police on 101, or use the reporting tool at www.hampshire.police.uk 

Avoid touching or disturbing a crime scene. If you spot any unfamiliar items that have been left at the scene such as tools, drink containers or cigarette butts, tell the police. Take photographs of any footprints or vehicle tracks which do not belong to you or your teams.