Two weeks ago, we reported on some correspondence with Morrison Utility Services, a company who have been working on behalf of Northern Powergrid on Chapel Lane. A local resident contacted Penny Goodman to say that some of Chapel Lane’s Yorkshire stone paving had been stolen in the course of this work, so she wrote to the CEO of Morrison Utility Services, Charles B. Morrison, asking him to improve the company’s on-site security protocols and to replace the stolen paving. He wrote back very quickly to say that they would be conducting a full investigation, and that he would report back further when they had done so. This has now happened, and Penny has received a second letter detailing the outcomes of the investigation.

You can read the letter in full below, but as it is quite long, we will note the key points here:

• The company removes unsecured stone paving stone each evening, and places it in a secure depot. This practice was followed as usual on Chapel Lane.
• The stone which was stolen was not lying unsecured in stacks, but had been relaid into the pavement that day.
• After the theft occurred on Friday 27th February, a mobile CCTV unit was put in place, which recorded a further disturbance on the site in the early hours of Saturday 28th February.
• The company will be replacing the stolen paving with new Yorkshire stone slabs as soon as they can secure appropriate materials from their supplier.

The last point is particularly welcome, and we will be keeping an eye on the site to check that it actually happens. The seriousness of the company’s overall approach to the issue, and to Penny’s letter, is also good to see. But it is still clear that works like this are a major target for thieves. We would suggest that companies whose work involves disturbing Yorkshire stone paving should be putting CCTV in place on site before they start as a matter of course – not waiting until a theft has taken place.

It is also very clear that the thieves responsible for these crimes are working on an almost industrial scale. Another theft just a few days ago in Granby Road, where thieves similarly crow-barred up slabs directly from the pavement, confirms this. The only long-term solution to the problem will be to shut off the market for stolen materials which is clearly driving the crimes. Greg Mulholland’s Early Day Motion calling for legislation, a taskforce and an awareness-raising campaign, similar to the measures used to stop the theft and re-sale of scrap metal, has been an important step forward in that direction.

You can read Charles Morrison’s letter for yourself here: