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Yorkshire Water is trialling fibreglass manhole covers in the latest effort to thwart metal thieves.
The company spent around £410,000 replacing stolen metal parts in 2011 and is testing out a number of initiatives to minimise exposure to the crime.
It says fibreglass manhole covers are more durable and cheaper to install than the traditional iron versions, and have little or no scrap value.
Peter Ramsay, security and emergency planning manager, said: “Metal theft is a serious issue for us and we’re trialling a number of new initiatives, including using fibreglass manhole covers, in our ongoing efforts to reduce it.
“The problem ranges from the opportunist theft of one of our sewer or hydrant covers, to the organised theft of hundreds of meters of cable or copper pipe, and even larger appliances such as lifting equipment and generators, with thieves targeting any metals which they consider of value, often risking their lives, and those of others, in the process.
“Our trial to deploy fibreglass manhole covers to replace their metal counterparts is our latest initiative and one we’re confident has the potential to make a real difference.”
Yorkshire is also painting metal components with redDNA coded grease, which glows under ultra-violet light and means stolen property can be traced back to its owner.
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