Metal thieves have sunk to new depths – striking at charities, churches and even East Cheshire Hospice as lead thefts rocket.

New figures obtained by the Express under the Freedom of Information Act for the Macclesfield  area show criminals have struck more than 500 times in four years.

Metal theft in Macclesfield has rocketed from 82 incidents in 2008/09 to 194 in 2010/11.

And it shows no signs of stopping, with 191 incidents already reported since April.

Last year East Cheshire Hospice was hit three times in three days, proving not even a charity which cares for the seriously ill has escaped the scourge of metal theft.

Churches in Macclesfield have suffered more than most, having fallen victim 26 times –  12 times since last April. The Archdeacon of Macclesfield Ian Bishop said every church in  Macclesfield had been affected.

He said: “It makes me angry that criminals see churches as an easy target.

“Metal theft is a very serious problem for us. If the church suffers water damage the bill can run into astronomic amounts. Our churches are almost uninsurable now.

“It also has a seriously debilitating effect on the financial stability and morale of churches, which are run by people who sacrifice a lot to support their communities and keep the buildings running. I had one minister sobbing on my shoulder following a metal theft.

“I know there are a lot of people struggling in life at the moment, but crime is not the answer.”

Brazen thieves have proved willing to steal anything to cash in on the rising metal prices including beer kegs, church candlestick holders, street signs, car park bollards and brass plaques.

The Freedom of Information results show a catalogue of targets including houses and flats, businesses, schools, community centres, museums and galleries, pubs, hospitals and leisure centres.
Even Macclesfield Town Football Club has joined the growing list of victims.

Farmers have reported the theft of machinery and gates from fields, while boat owners have reported the theft of their moorings.

Lead is the focus of much of the crime, accounting for 70pc of all metal theft.  Other metals stolen include copper, bronze, aluminium, brass, steel, iron and titanium.

Police have vowed to step up their campaign to curb the thefts with regular visits to local scrap metal merchants who are often the first port of call for thieves looking to make a quick buck.

DCI Brian Roberts warned that metal theft has implications for businesses, homeowners and commuters.

He said: "With the increase in price of scrap metal, thieves are stealing whatever they can get their hands on, without thinking about the consequences for others.

"Thieves often operate on the premise that this crime is almost victimless and no-one, other than large corporations, suffers as a result of their activity. This could not be further from the truth. Metal theft can disrupt rail networks, telephone lines, internet services, and almost always cause insurance premiums to rise.”

Macclesfield MP David Rutley recently raised the problem with the Minister for Crime Prevention in a bid to tackle metal theft.

In November the Government introduced a Metal Theft Prevention Bill which will give more powers for the police and courts to close scrapyards and shut down dealers who do not operate within the law.