A ban on cash transactions for the scrap metal trade has resulted in an immediate 30 per cent drop on metal theft attacks on the energy network since it came into effect on 3 December 2012.
Prior to this, a Metal Theft Taskforce was created in December 2011 and has led a concerted effort to reduce the number of metal theft attacks.
ENA chief executive David Smith said: “There can be no doubt that the ban on cash transactions has delivered the result we said it would.
“We urgently need the new laws of the Scrap Metal Dealers Bill to underpin this cash ban and implement the licensing scheme and other measures that will deal a lasting blow to thieves.”