Two of Bradford Council’s own workers are to appear in court charged with stripping metal drain grates from the streets to sell on as scrap.

The authority was tipped off after the pair, aged 37 and 40, allegedly used a Council lorry to take the grates to a metal merchants.

Bosses called in police to investigate, which has led to theft charges being laid against the pair. They will appear before Bradford magistrates next month.

Ian Bairstow, the Council’s strategic director for environment and sport, said: “The theft and sale of the metal grates is being investigated by West Yorkshire Police. I can confirm that two Council employees are helping the police with their inquiries.” A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “Police in Bradford received a report at 11.18am on Wednesday, May 18, over the theft of metal grates in the area.

“Two men, aged 37 and 40, were subsequently arrested and charged on suspicion of theft and are due to appear before Bradford magistrates on Friday, June 3.”

The Bradford district has been blighted by metal thefts in recent months with copper, lead, iron, steel, aluminium and platinum targeted by thieves. A partnership between West Yorkshire Police and the Environment Agency has been set up to tackle the problem.

  • Read the full story in Monday's T&A