An illegal scrap metal dealer has been issued with a closure notice after police visited 11 premises in an effort to clamp down on metal theft.

Between October 12 and 16, Bolton neighbourhood policing teams, alongside partners from the Licensing Unit of Bolton Council and the Environment Agency, visited 11 scrap dealers and handed out a number of improvement notices as well as a closure notice at one unlicensed premise.

The five day operation was carried out as part of a national campaign to reduce the propensity of metal theft due to a significant increase in offences of such nature.

The Bolton News:

A spokesperson for the police said: "The price of some metals has increased sharply over recent years, making this type of crime lucrative.

"Not only does this cost individuals in terms of their own property being stolen but also has a significant impact on business where infrastructure is damaged in the process."

Over the course of the five days, officers also located a car, which had been stolen from outside of GMP, inside a Bolton vehicle dismantlers.

The vehicle and how it came to arrive at the dismantlers is now subject to police enquiries.

The Bolton News:

The spokesperson continued: "We also targeted waste carriers who must be licensed to carry out this trade and also have the required insurance.

"Road side checks were conducted on 17 vehicles suspected of being waste carriers.

"One of the vehicles failed to have the requisite licence and was seized along with relevant enforcement notices issued."

Police are now urging the local community to be vigilant in protecting their property and report any concerns to them.

They also want to reiterate how important it is to consider whether waste carriers are registered and carrying out their business legally and ethically.

Otherwise, waste may not get disposed of safely and in accordance with environmental controls, with the possibility that unlicensed operators could dump waste in rural areas close to residential homes.