Thefts cost firm £1,000 a week

David Fawcett, maintenance manager for Wharfedale Finance, says the company, which owns business premises across North Kirklees, suffers dozens of burglaries and lead thefts every week – and is being left thousands out of pocket.

He said: “We are getting burgled on a weekly basis and we’re still under attack by lead thefts.

“At this time of year we have problems with lead being stolen from rooves and units getting broken into on a weekly basis, sometimes on a daily basis.

“They are after anything they can sell. Predominantly it’s metal thefts.

“We replace it with man made material but these people go back up thinking it’s more lead, and when they find out it’s not, they slash their knives through it just to be malicious.”

Mr Fawcett said thefts were still rife despite despite the government’s attempt to curb metal thefts with a new law preventing scrap dealers paying in cash – meaning thieves could be getting round the law.

“Because of health and safety we are restricted as to what we can and can’t do with security.

“Barbed wire is great – but we have to put it at a certain height so thieves don’t catch themselves when they are trying to burgle us.”