METAL HERITAGE THEFT
Above left. Ratcliffe on Soar church, host to SPAB’s annual working parties and the scene of some rare lead-theft arrests. Above right, 15th-century Red Mount chapel, King’s Lynn – lead has been stolen twice in two years. SmartWater anti-theft dye has now been employed
growth in car production–that takes a lot ofmetal. The dynamic is similar with lead.” Yet the dramatic increase in lead and copper prices has also been fuelled by speculators attracted by the rising market, according to Renée Fok, of English Heritage (EH). “Significant amounts of lead have been stockpiled by speculators and kept from the market to encourage prices to rise,” she says.
FROMspecial alarms to invisible paint, there are an increasing number of products available designed to deter thieves. SmartWater is a clear liquid which creates an invisible chemical tag to help identify stolen lead. Painted on metal, the substance shows up under ultraviolet light. There is also LedLok, a productwhich allows for the secure fixing of lead to the supporting structure in away thatmakes removal time-consuming, yet allows for essential thermal movement. Ecclesiastical Insurance is advising
churches to install a systemsuch as the E-Bound roof alarm, which uses motion detection sensors automatically triggered by human movement. The scrapmetal recycling industry
has also beenworking with police to prevent yards buying stolenmetal unwittingly. Simms Metal Management, which is theworld’s largest scrap metal recycling firm, bans purchases from sellers arriving on foot andwithout valid identification. Yet spokeswoman Jacqui Simpson says there is only so much they can do. Checking lorries for suspicious items is, she says, impossible. “Abrass plaque from a war memorial is obvious to spot, and we call the police
54 Cornerstone, Vol 32, No 3 2011
if we see anything suspicious,” she says. “Lorry loads of scrap are a different matter, because itwouldmean sifting through thousands of tons ofmetal. “I’ve heard storieswhere people go
on to internet and view theGoogle Earthwebsite to look up remote churches and see howmuch lead they have to steal. “If EnglishHeritage is intent on
combatting the issue, itmakes sense for churches to replace lead with materials which aren’t attractive to thieves.” In February, EH
launched its own anti-crime initiative –theAlliance to Reduce Crime AgainstHeritage (ARCH)–and the SPABis amember body.A voluntary scheme,ARCH is aimed at fostering local action through heritage groups, neighbourhood watch schemes and residents’ associations, encouraging them to raise awareness about criminal damage to historic sites and buildings. The Association of Chief PoliceOfficers and the Crown Prosecution Service back the initiative, alongwith more than 40 other organisations, including the Historic HousesAssociation and the Church of England, as well as the SPAB. In 2010, grade I listedHoly Trinity
MATERIALS ARE THE MOST
REASONS WHY AUTHENTIC
VERY STRONG ‘THERE ARE
FOR IMPORTANT HISTORIC
APPROPRIATE BUILDINGS’
location for the SPAB’s highly successful annual working party–was the setting of a rare triumph in the fight against lead thieves. Church staff “staked out” two men whowere preparing to steal the roof lead. It is thought that the thieves had carried out a reconnaissance of the church roof some 10 days previously, when portions of the roofing lead were prised up, presumably to assess its quality and ease of removal. Arriving at 2am, the thieves were spotted by hidden staff, and police arrested themat the church. “They don’t carry tools, in case they are caught,” observed one parishioner. “The lead is all removed by hand, and this pairwere respectably dressed underneath their hooded tops.” Magistrates sentenced them to three months in prison.
ENGLISH HERITAGE THE spate of metal
church at Ratcliffe on Soar in Nottinghamshire–for several years the
thefts has increased pressure on EHto allow churches to substitute lead for materials such as stainless steel, less lucrative for thieves. Each case will be considered on itsmerits, says Renée Fok. However, she insists there are still compelling reasons to use lead and copper. “There are very strong reasons why authentic materials such as sand-cast and rolled lead sheet are regarded as being the most appropriate for important historic buildings,” she
says. “This is not just based on philosophical grounds; there’smuch compelling justification in terms of technical performance.” Dr Paul Bennett, director of the
Canterbury Archaeological Trust, agrees. Instead of resorting to modern substitutes, he says churchesmust increase their security and levels of vigilance in a bid to preserve Britain’s architectural heritage.Dr Bennett is involved in an initiative to establish a new degree-level course at the University of Kent–a programme for police and others so they understand more about architectural theft. “This is putting an untold strain on
churches, especially smallworshipping places,” he says. “Parishes are saying: ‘We can’t afford to replace the lead, so why can’t we use a different material?’ Whatwe’re saying is: ‘No.We have to work together, put the lead back and make it more secure.’ “We must ask questions: if someone
is up a ladder without safety protection then that’s suspicious.”
WHATEVER the roofmaterial–old or new–it costs thousands of pounds to install, and that is money that churches like St Helen’s simply don’t have.Hilda Tomlinson says the parish has looked into painted fibreglass but, at around £20,000, it’s too
expensive.Meanwhile, rain pouring through the roof continues to threaten the church’s future. “I’ve been going to this church since I
was a girl. It’s devastating. You might as well put money in a hat by the church and let them help themselves–at least they wouldn’t cause any damage.”
PHOTOGRAPHS: SIMON BARBER
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