FCA chief executive Wendy Baker said that there were unconfirmed reports of “unscrupulous persons” stealing fencing panels in the dead of night, retreating them and then selling them off the back of a lorry for cash.
Those responsible for the fencing thefts then take a note of who they have sold them to before returning a number of days later to steal them again.
“They are taking recycling to the nth degree,” said Ms Baker.
A shortage of fencing panels for the domestic market has brought the issue into sharp focus according to Ms Baker, with the problem now spreading throughout the industry and pushing prices for panels up to £35-80.
