Police search for harmful metal

Police are appealing for information to trace an extremely hazardous metal which has been stolen from an industrial plant in Hayes.

'The metal alloy, called Copper Beryllium, which is used to build industrial machines, can cause respiratory problems, inflamation of internal organs and cancer if smelted or ground down and absorbed into the body,' warned PC Kevin Lynott, of Uxbridge CID.

It was taken from two storage containers in an industrial plant in the Dawley Road area between Thursday March 30 and Tuesday last week, and police are concerned the thieves mistook it for copper and were unaware of its dangers.

The 30 rods, 8ins long with a diameter ranging from 2ins to 5ins, were a darker shade of copper, and were marked with serial numbers all beginning with the letter L in indelible white ink, which detectives believe thieves would disguise by melting the metal down.

Approximately two tonnes of the expensive metal, including 16 aluminium rods, were taken.

Detectives are anxious to talk to a white man in his 40s who was seen trespassing on the premises of the industrial plant on February 24 in a white Mercedes sprinter van with false number plates. He was believed to be connected to the travelling community. Anyone with information which could help to trace the metal is asked to contact Uxbridge CID urgently on 0181 246 1588 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.