EMR: Metal and cable theft costs the UK economy £500m a year

The campaign urges the public to report metal theft – which costs the UK economy £500 million a year.

The appeal follows a series of incidents that have caused widespread disruption.

Bruce Miller, Commercial Director at EMR, said: “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.”

Copper prices are currently at an all-time high and are forecast to rise further throughout 2026 and Openreach has reported an increase in cable theft throughout its network.

Earlier this year, 2,500 premises in Lincolnshire were 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”.

In May 2026, three men were jailed in Birmingham after stealing cables which cut off phone and broadband services for approximately 5,000 people.

Suspicious activity can be reported anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers.

Andy Shepherd, Director of Resilience and Integrity at Openreach, said: “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.”