POLICE in York and Selby staged a major operation to combat metal theft, as part of a Europe-wide crackdown.

Officers stopped possibly suspicious vehicles and went to all registered scrap dealers as the problem of metal theft continues to spiral.

The Press reported yesterday that thieves had begun removing catalytic converters from cars. Police today revealed that a further 11 were stolen on Monday night - seven from a garage in Hallfield Road, and four from cars parked in their driveways in Copmanthorpe.

Detective Chief Inspector Nick Warnes, of York CID, said: "In the past 90 days in the York and Selby district, we have had 138 reports of metal theft, valuing between £100 and £500.

"It is not just waste metal left at the side of the road - this is copper cabling, lead flashings from schools and churches, catalytic converters, etc.

"It is things people rely on every day, and it is causing major disruption."

DCI Warnes said officers had carried out four functions throughout the day.

"Firstly, road traffic officers were out looking for vehicles that might possibly be carrying salvaged metals," he said.

"Secondly, we were visiting all registered scrap dealers to discuss how we could work together to help combat metal theft.

"Thirdly, we were stopping all vehicles entering registered dealers and questioning drivers about who they were and what they were carrying and where they had got it. And fourthly, we visited more than a dozen people who we suspect may be involved in the theft of metals, and explained to them about our roles and responsibilities, the actions we are going to take to combat metal thefts, and their own roles and responsibilities."

Speaking after the conclusion of the operation yesterday afternoon, DCI Warnes said more than 50 vehicles were stopped entering the sites, and inquiries were now going on in relation to the possession of some lots of metal that police suspect may have been stolen.

At one site, two people made off when they saw police, but were caught and police are now trying to trace the metal they were carrying.

At another site, a man arrived with scrap metal that he could not give an explanation for. Although police could not prove it was stolen, the man was found to have previous convictions for lead theft, and DCI Warnes believed the operation would have deterred him from returning to the site.