Men arrested after police raid skip hire firm (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Items at Christian Malford site seized

1:25pm Monday 30th January 2012 in Chippenham By Alex Winter

FOUR men have been arrested following a police raid on Porter Skip Hire in Christian Malford this morning.

Police hit four scrap yards today as part of Operation Herald - a crackdown on metal thefts across Wiltshire.

The raid involved 12 police officers working alongside representatives from the Environment Agency, Wiltshire Council’s Environment Enforcement Unit and Wessex Water.

At Porter Skip Hire Ltd, in the village near Chippenham, two men aged 28 and 39 were arrested on the site.

The first man was arrested on suspicion of theft of lead piping, but was later released with an adult caution, while the second to be arrested on the site is suspected of handling stolen goods, although he has not been charged.

Also arrested were a man aged 25 and a 12-year-old boy who were in a van being driven from the scrap yard.

Sector inspector Martin Schorah said: "We will be seizing some materials from the site, which have been photographed and documented before being removed.

"We’re grateful for the help of partner agencies, who have appeared today to point out material that is manufactured or used by their companies, including Wessex Water."

On site at the time of the raid on Porter Skip Hire were the owner and six members of staff, who all cooperated with the search for contraband.

At EJ Shanley Skip Hire in Shail’s Lane, Trowbridge, police found copper cabling which they believe to be stolen.

A 65-year-old-man was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods, and a 49-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of theft.

In Swindon a 49-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods, and a 25-year-old was arrested on suspicion of theft.

The arrests included people who had arrived to sell materials which police believe to be stolen.