Stewart Dickson MLA said: “It is absolutely vital that people are vigilant about metal theft. Anyone who lives near schools, churches or hospitals, for example, should look out for any suspicious activity and if they see anything they should contact the police immediately.
“Some metals are very valuable and theft of this nature appears to have been on the rise.
“Metal theft has the potential to cause very serious problems and the impact of this crime can be felt in the community and on public services.
“It is vital that people work with the police to help tackle this problem by providing information on such incidents to help police catch anyone involved. I would strongly urge people to be vigilant and ensure that police are immediately made aware of any suspicious activity or incidents of this nature.”
ENDS