Theft of lead - How do I prevent it?

It will probably not have escaped your notice that there has been a lot of media attention connected to metal thefts within the UK, particularly the theft of lead from church roofs, town halls, schools and charities. The cost of these thefts is currently estimated at £50m annually, with one insurer paying almost £9.4m in 2007.

Why are thefts increasing?

The price of copper and lead has increased significantly in recent times as a result of high demand in China. At the same time prices for aluminium, nickel and zinc are reaching record levels on the international price index, inevitably this had led to an increase in theft of these high value commodities. Thefts can cost anything from a few hundred pounds to tens of thousand of pounds.

Most buildings will have some form of lead roof tiles or flashing on or around the roof area and, although it may prove difficult to gain access to the roof, we all know that thieves are determined in their line of work. The problem tends to be that adequate protection measures may be costly and, in certain circumstances, it seems little that can be done to protect some properties such as churches located in remote areas.

Where lead has been stolen from a roof the cost of replacing the materials is one issue, however, as the roof is no longer weatherproof, there will inevitably be resultant water damage to the interior of the building which may lead to disruption to the occupier’s activities.

Is it covered?

We have a wide spectrum of commercial, charity and property clients who have been targeted by metal thieves in recent months leading to claims being made on their property insurance policies. However, not all insurers policies will respond to these types of losses, and, whilst most policies will include theft cover, this will usually be dependant upon there being some form of forcible and violent entry/exit to the premises to trigger the policy (although resultant damage, such as water ingress as described above, should automatically be paid even though the cost of the replacement lead may be excluded).

Having carried out a recent survey of major insurers as to whether their commercial combined policies will respond to these types of theft claims we were surprised as to the diversity of their reaction to policy coverage with 50% of those asked saying their policy will not respond.  Some insurers who would pay the claim have said they would restrict the amount they pay by limiting their liability to a few thousand pounds.

Most insurers will, however, point out that full theft cover can be added to the policy for an additional premium, but is not much use after the event and is like closing the stable door after the horse has bolted.

Things to consider

What can be done to improve security:

• Installation of CCTV covering the building with adequate monitoring and recording.
• Ensure gates are locked and the premises are secure.
• Restrict any easy access to the roof by removing water butts, waste bins and tall trees located near to the building.
• Keep ladders stored in a locked building, shed or compound.
• Consider installation of security lighting.
• Remove any means of transporting stolen material, such as wheelbarrows, to a secure place.
• Apply anti-climb paint to drainpipes and roof guttering to restrict access to the roof.
• Consider painting the lead with tar making removal difficult.
• Consider installing intruder alarm protection to external roof areas.
• Carry out regular checks of roofs and gulleys.
• Encourage members of the local community to keep a vigilant eye on the building and to report any suspicious activity.

Finally, if you are the victim of this type of crime, you may wish to consider replacing the lead with a non lead substitute when replacement is being effected.

Should you require more information on this topic or have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact Sam Keep (Assistant Claims Manager) on 0207 330 8730.