Cheshire Police Authority is backing a crackdown on metal thieves in the county.
Officers are carrying out regular checks on scrap metal dealers, patrolling vulnerable areas and encouraging site owners to step up security.
They are also working with British Transport Police after a series of cable and metal thefts on railways in the Crewe and Nantwich area.
Police Authority chairman Margaret Ollerenshaw said: “Stealing metal, including power cable and pipes carrying gas or water, sometimes results in danger, as well as inconvenience, to other people.
“It is an issue of real concern.”
During a day of action in December, Cheshire officers stopped vehicles they knew were used by metal thieves and recovered stolen property.
Cheshire Chief Constable Dave Whatton said the danger of this type of crime on the railways was matched by the theft of metal in other locations.
“For instance, if someone steals a grid or manhole cover from the road there could be serious consequences for drivers who may not spot the hole in time to avoid it,” he said.
“Public safety is one of the reasons we take this type of crime very seriously indeed.
“In many cases thieves see a metal item and believe they can make some easy money.
“At the other end of the scale we see criminals mount planned, military-style operations to steal large quantities of heavy-duty piping and miles of copper cable.”
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