POLICE in Basildon are believed to be the first in Essex, and possibly the country, to prosecute a scrap dealer using a new law.


As of Monday this week it is now illegal for dealers to pay cash in exchange for metal.


The move aims to help cut the continuing rise of metal crime that has blighted the UK by making it more difficult for people to offload their stolen gear.


As the new law came into force police in Laindon were out in force targeting people offloading scrap at yards in Laindon.


On Monday and Tuesday this week officers were out in force outside the scrap yards - Laindon Metals and Mackers Metals - in Wrexham Road, Laindon as well as Westlake Metals on the A127.


They checked vehicles travelling in and out of the yards to ensure they had receipts for any transactions and had not been paid in cash for their goods.


The team of officers stopped one car of people on Monday at Westlake Metals alleged to have been paid in cash inside the yard for their metal.


The owner of the yard has now been summonsed to court to face an offence under section 146 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.


And yesterday police arrested a man in his 30s from Basildon on suspicion of going equipped for theft and for the theft of metal after he was found inside a van containing suspected stolen copper cable and a bag full of tools.


Sgt Paul Costin of the Basildon West neighbourhood policing team said: “It’s clear that our presence seems to be having an impact on trade at scrap metal yards.


“We are here to deter and disrupt those trying to offload the proceeds of crime.


“I’m disappointed that some people appear not to be complying with the new law but this is something that we will be continuing to target to make sure that people act within the law and make life difficult for those trying to sell stolen goods.”


The man will be issued with a summons and will appear at Basildon Magistrates’ Court in the coming weeks. The man in his 30s remains in police custody.