Prague, July 22 (CTK) – The worth of damage caused by metal thefts has dropped by 46 percent to 148 million crowns in 2016, compared with the preceding year, with the number of reported thefts reaching 3,284 and 5,595, respectively, the Environment Ministry writes in a document to be discussed by the cabinet.
It mentions a positive effect of its new directive that banned cash payments for metal at recycling yards as of March 2015.
In 2014, a total of 11,764 thefts worth 564.6 million crowns were reported.
“The situation…has been improving in the Czech Republic. A sharp decline in the number of thefts of metal products was registered, and also in the number of the cases of people who misused social [unemployment] benefits since they had parallel income from selling metal scrap,” the ministry writes.
The ministry wanted further measures to follow the curbing of metal buyout. However, it failed to push through a new bill on wastes, which it withdrew from the cabinet agenda earlier this year.
The ministry, headed by Richard Brabec (ANO), says it plans to submit the bill again after the October 20-21 general election, in which the ANO movement is a hot favourite.
If the bill makes it through one day, the recycling yards will have to be equipped with cameras, preserve the camera recordings for three years and provide them to inspectors on request.
The rules of technical securing waste heaps will be toughened.
Last year, the police started visiting recycling yards to enquire about the clients selling a large amount of metal.
“The information was eventually…compared with the register of social benefits recipients. If a recipient failed to report their additional income [from metal sale], misdemeanour or criminal proceedings were launched depending on the damage incurred…,” the ministry writes.
