In an effort to tackle the issue of rampant scrap iron theft across the country, Acting Commissioner of Police has announced a $100,000 reward for any person who can provide information which will lead to arrests and ultimately, prosecutions in these cases. 

The announcement was made during a media conference hosted by the Ministry of National security on Friday afternoon.

“We will be utilizing initially our numbers 555 and 800TIPS and we will be doing a release with some numbers that can be utilized in this regard,” Jacob said, referencing an incident last weekend in which bandits stole more than $100,000 worth of cable, vandalizing  TSTT’s fibre optic cables in the process.

Meanwhile, National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds announced that the export list will be amended to ban the export of scrap iron for six months.

“So that in order to export them (scrap iron), you will have to obtain first a license,” the Minister said.

Over the past two and a half years, 139 people have been arrested and charged, for scrap iron theft-including two scrap-yard dealer,

“But the acts continue and that is the reason why we strongly believe that it is beyond the question of just larceny,” the Acting Commissioner said.