Doing a gardening job today and the white van stops and asks if i have any scrap metal. Wasnt my house but the driver who sounded foreign spanish? asked if i would fill up a water bottle for him as it was very hot. Alarm bells---i walk in house with my petrol strimmer and stuff lying outside.Moment out of sight i hear the van door open so turned back straight away.
Just beware--.

Already reported them to the police a while back. They actually took my neighbour's iron gate, then returned to take some metal fencing with them.

They were actually back yesterday and took another neighbour's metal patio heater. Granted, it was broken anyway, but they just took it.

Terrible way of making money. If it was on the street then fair enough, but they were trespassing on private property.

Confirms my suspicions of them taking a mountain bike from my garden a few weeks ago.
Was left in front garden agaginst the bay window of the house,I heard the scrap van coming down the road,went to go out about 20 mins later and the bike was gone.
They even moved the wheelie bins from the entry to see if the back gate was open.
Cheeky B*****ds

Sounds like they need warning off sharpish.

I take it this is the white transit with the loudspeaker making wailing sounds.

Yeah that's the one.Might get my old bike out the loft and use it as a snare with a video camera recording from a window.

Very tempted to say leave it connected to the live side of the mains and watch the pikeys dance! However, that little avenue of pleasure is closed off! DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME KIDDIES !

Like to give an alternative view.

Last week they knocked and ASKED if the kids bikes or scooters out front were scrap.
Said no, thanks for asking.

No problem if they make an honest pound from legitimate scrap.

Not spanish or irish sounding.

They're the kind of people who I like. That 'bit of scrap' they steal might have had sentimental value to someone.

Good on those people for asking. Definitely not the same scrap collectors I've seen down here.

The reg number of there van is
EA04 FVM

They have just tried stealing some scaffolding polls from back of mine and some workies caught them.

I read that as some WOOKIES caught them:

My dad did this in the 90's when we kept getting burgled... One night a fuse popped and we never got robbed again...

Before you pass any waste to a van and man ask them if they have a waste carriers license for collecting scrap metal, if they have one then you can give them your scrap or waste but they must give you a waste transfer note for the waste being taken in return, thus clearing you of your duty of care to the said waste. If your waste is then found dumped in an alleyway or field and is later traced to have originated from yourself or your home you will be covered by your transfer note and the company who took the waste will be in trouble with the enviromental agency and may loose their license. The police have the powers to seize and destroy any vehicles that are recycling with out a current waste carriers license.

When you learn to speak/understand English properly, look up the meaning of...

The 'wailing' scrap van just passed. They saw something, knocked on the door - no reply - so just picked something up from the front of the house and put it in the van! Beginning to wonder if my front gate will disappear one day.