Crimestoppers, Openreach and EMR join forces to combat metal theft

• January 2026 - Moulton Chapel, Lincolnshire:2,500 premises hit by a major cable theft, with residents left unable to contact hospitals to check appointments and one business owner describing it as “going back to the dark ages.”
• May 2026 – Birmingham: Three men jailed after stealing cables which cut off phone and broadband services for c.5,000 people. 
• May 2026 – Wateringbury, Kent: A member of the public called police when three vehicles were used to remove cables from fields, impacting landlines for vulnerable customers in the local village. Repairs are ongoing.

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“It’s really disappointing that communities across the UK are paying the price for this criminal behaviour. Cable theft causes serious damage, unacceptable disruption to communities and can put vulnerable people at risk. 

“We’re working closely with partners and using proactive security measures to reduce the impact of this criminal activity, but we also need the public’s help. If you see anything suspicious, please call 101 or contact Crimestoppers completely anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

Andy Shepherd, Director of Resilience and Integrity at Openreach

EMR, a global leader in circular materials, is helping recover, process and recycle metals through its nationwide network of UK sites and specialist cable recycling facilities.

“Copper is now recognised as a critical material, with demand continuing to grow as industries invest in new networks, infrastructure and low-carbon technologies. That makes responsible recycling more important than ever.

“At EMR, we play a vital role in recovering and recycling the materials needed for the future, while helping ensure they remain in legitimate circulation. Metal theft causes significant harm - disrupting communities, damaging essential infrastructure and putting public safety at risk.

“As one of the UK’s largest metal recyclers, we work closely with law enforcement and partners including Openreach and Crimestoppers to prevent stolen material entering the supply chain. By working together, we can help protect critical infrastructure, support local communities and ensure valuable resources are recycled responsibly.”

Bruce Miller, Commercial Director at EMR

As part of the initiative, EMR has strengthened its commitment to tackling metal theft by installing signage across all UK sites, reinforcing its policy to refuse any material suspected of being stolen. Through responsible recycling practices and transparent material traceability, EMR continues to support higher standards across the sector while helping keep critical materials in the right hands.

Metal theft isn’t a victimless crime

Openreach builds and maintains the UK’s largest telecoms network and, since April 2024, more than 100,000 people across the UK have lost the use of their landline and/or broadband due to copper theft, with 153 km of cable stolen in that time – spanning almost the same distance as from London to Bristol.

The impact is far-reaching for consumers and businesses: from home working and online shopping, to contacting vulnerable relatives, GP surgeries, hospitals and schools, and running smart lighting and heating systems.

Repairing and replacing damaged cables is often complex and time-consuming, with engineers working around the clock – alongside local authorities and partners – to restore services as quickly as possible. 

Since April 2024, Openreach estimates 1.2 million working hours have been diverted to repairing theft-related damage – time that could otherwise have been spent upgrading more homes and businesses to the UK’s most reliable broadband technology – Full Fibre. Network theft costs millions to repair each year, causing disruption and anxiety for local communities and damaging the UK economy. 

How we’re tackling the problem

Since April 2025, Openreach’s specialist security team has instigated 90 arrests, but theft volumes are expected to increase during the summer months.

Targeted cables are often pulled out of the ground and laid out in fields to be cut up and transported, so drier ground makes this easier to do – reducing the risk of criminals’ vehicles getting stuck in saturated fields. A knock-on impact is often damaged or destroyed crops, meaning farmers face harm to their livelihoods as well as their connectivity.

To deter criminals and reduce disruption, Openreach continues to implement measures including a mix of:

• Forensic marking technology such as SelectaDNA
• Rapid response security measures and network alarms 
• Close collaboration with Police, the charity Crimestoppers and partners like EMR. 
• More information on how to report damage to Openreach’s network is available here. 

*Source: “Tackling Metal Theft: A report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Metal, Stone and Heritage Crime” - MSHC-APPG-Tackling-Metal-Theft-report.pdf