Scrap metal dealer pays for £21,000 war memorial restoration

By
Eleanor Harding

Last updated at 2:54 AM on 8th February 2012


Ashamed: Stuart Nebbett, owner of London's largest independent scrap yard, paid £21,000 to have his local war memorial restored after metal thieves stole plaques

Ashamed: Stuart Nebbett, owner of London’s largest independent scrap yard, paid £21,000 to have his local war memorial restored after metal thieves stole plaques

They have been blamed for the shameful desecration of our nation’s war memorials.

But one man has made it his mission to prove not all scrap metal dealers are bad.

Stuart Nebbett, owner of London’s largest independent scrap yard, was so ashamed of the vandalism of his local war memorial that he paid £21,000 to have it restored.

The 45-year-old said he felt disgusted after scrap metal thieves plundered 14 brass plaques from the monument in Carshalton, south London – just weeks before Armistice Day last year.

It is believed the tablets, which held the names of 243 servicemen who died in the First World War, may have been sold on to an unscrupulous metal merchant for as little as £50.

Yesterday, Mr Nebbett joined 50 residents in unveiling new stone plaques engraved with the names in a bid to apologise for his industry.

He said: ‘When I saw the public anger against this sort of crime, and how disgusted people were, I just wanted to put something back into a community that has been very good to me over the years.

‘I wanted to improve the public perception of the scrap metal merchants, the majority of which are law-abiding.

‘It’s just a shame that a small section of the industry is giving the rest of us a bad name.

‘We may not wear business suits to work, or work from a smart business unit, but that doesn’t mean that we take advantage of any opportunities to accept and process any scrap metal to run our business.’

No one has been charged for the theft last autumn, which is thought to have been carried out using crowbars.

Mr Nebbett volunteered to restore the monument after Sutton Council was left wondering how to raise the thousands of pounds required.

Engraved: Mr Nebbett paid for the stone replacement to display the 243 names of servicemen who lost their lives in a bid to apologise for his industry

Engraved: Mr Nebbett paid for the stone replacement to display the 243 names of servicemen who lost their lives in a bid to apologise for his industry

The new plaques have been made from Portland Stone, the same material used for the cenotaph in Whitehall, to prevent them being stolen again.

Yesterday’s unveiling ceremony was attended by families of those whose names were inscribed in the plaques, including retired teacher Rowena Preston, 63.

Her grandfather, Fredrick Charles Parsons, and his nephew Sidney Glanville, both died in 1917 while still in their thirties.

She said: ‘It must have been heartbreaking for their family to lose two loved-ones in the same year. It’s incredibly important to remember these people who died in this war.

‘It’s absolutely marvellous that Mr Nebbett has put up the money to restore the memorial. What a great gesture.

‘I just hope the people who ruined it in the first place now feel sorry for what they have done.’

Bob Stoddart, 87, a local World War II veteran, added: ‘I was disgusted when I heard what happened.

‘It’s a different world today – the country has gone downhill. Some people’s sense of decency has just gone.

Guests: Around 50 people attended yesterday's unveiling including family members of those whose names are on the memorial

Guests: Around 50 people attended yesterday’s unveiling including family members of those whose names are on the memorial

‘It’s important to remind people of those who gave their lives for us so I’m glad the plaques have been reinstated.’

Yesterday’s unveiling ceremony was blessed with prayers and a poetry reading before members of the British Legion laid a commemorative wreath.

Mr Nebbett, who runs B Nebbett And Son in nearby Mitcham, said he mostly dealt with large organisations and refused to buy metal he suspected might be stolen.

He called for a crack-down on unlicensed merchants, which he said were responsible for buying from thieves.

He said: ‘You usually know from what the item is and the people coming in whether it has been obtained legally.

‘We know the majority of the people we buy from in the area. We know which ones are obtaining it illegally and they are barred from the premises.’

Damaged: Residents stand next to the memorial shortly after the thieves stole the plaques just before Armistice Day

Damaged: Residents stand next to the memorial shortly after the thieves stole the plaques just before Armistice Day

It came as the House of Lords yesterday debated government proposals to ban cash payments for scrap metal.

Metal theft is estimated to cost the country £1 billion a year, with 1,000 offences taking place every week.

In November, the War Memorials Trust said one of the nation’s 62,000 memorials is damaged every other day.

Hospitals, railway lines, churches and even community sculptures have also fallen victim to the crime in recent years.

The rise in scrap metal theft has been blamed on the recession – as well as the rising price of materials such as copper.

An investigation last summer showed that the price of copper at the London Metal Exchange soared to £5,600 per tonne compared with less than £1,900 in 2009.

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I agree with Dave from Gloucester The councils should put all the bronze one’s in storage and replace them with stone.

What a great Guy,,,, !

Well done Stuart. Your grandparents would be very proud of you. The vermin that steal these artefacts are contemptible as are the dealers who accept them. You have gone some way to proving that there are honourable people out there. Well done again sir.

Well done Stuart. As in all walks of life there are honourable and dishonourable people.

Thank you, Stuart. Now is is possible for you to get the rest of the trade properly registered and toeing the line. The present situation is insufferable.

I would imagine 21 grand is the sort of money these people carry in cash, not a huge sum for those in the scrap business.

jimb, Carmel, CA, USA, – “Cash payments for scrap may slow the thefts, but they won’t eliminate the root problem.” Of course you’re absolutely right. So many issues that now blight our societies can never be solved by legislation, because those hell-bent on a quick buck will simply move on to the next scam. The root cause is a total lack of respect for others and yes that does include the very wealthy, who cream off excessive sums, which should be fed back into the economy, to provide jobs. Apart from a few responsible parents, there are now no lessons in mutual respect, an individual’s duty of care and perhaps worse of all, no mention of personal responsibility, only entitlements ! It’s simply become a dog eat dog world and it’s resulted a very unpleasant environment which is sad.

maybe its time the councils removed all the metal plaques for resin ones to keep them safe. some cannot be restored because the names have been lost.

I applaud this man’s gesture, but it still does not address the existence of those who see little wrong in the desecration of monuments nor does it address the thefts. Western heritage is literally being ripped down around us and sold by junkies and drunks for pennies. Cash payments for scrap may slow the thefts, but they won’t eliminate the root problem.

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