METAL THIEVES will be targeted at a major summit hosted by business bosses.

Each year thugs cause millions of pounds of damage - and put lives at risk.

Now, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the Scottish Government, the British Transport Police, Police Scotland, Scottish Power and Scottish and Southern Energy are coming together to tackle the crime.

At an event today, organised by the Scottish Business Resilience Centre, Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill will meet those trying to stop metal theft.

Assistant Chief Officer Lewis Ramsay, the SFRS director of prevention and protection, will open the summit at the West Training Centre at Cambuslang.

He said: "Anyone engaged in metal theft is risking lives. These are not victimless crimes and we are working closely with police and others to protect our communities.

"Thieves' interference with power infrastructure has caused surges of electricity resulting in fires breaking out and flames and toxic smoke taking hold within homes.

"We have also seen cases where high-rise buildings have been left at severe risk due to thieves vandalising fixed equipment needed to get water to firefighters tackling a blaze.

"It isn't hard to imagine the terrible consequences of a fire within a block where there is significant delay getting water to our crews."

In November, firefighters were called to four house fires in Greenock after interference with an electricity substation caused surges to homes and left around 280 properties without power.

A man suffered smoke ­inhalation as the result of one of the fires.

Mr MacAskill added: "Metal theft causes huge problems for individuals, communities and businesses and the Scottish Government is committed to cracking down on this extremely harmful, illegal activity.

"That is why we are proposing measures in our Licensing Bill, announced as part of our legislative programme for 2013/14, to tighten up the ­licensing of metal dealers and make Scotland a more hostile place for these thieves.

"This will be influenced by the consultation we carried out earlier this year, which included proposals to end cash payments for metal."

According to British Transport Police figures, metal thefts fell by 50% in Scotland last year.

But Chief Superintendent Ellie Bird said officers were still cracking down on the crime.

Ms Bird, who is chairwoman of Metal Theft (Scotland), said: "Our communities are still being blighted; trains are still being delayed; electricity sub-stations are still being broken into; dry risers damaged, lead is still being stolen from church roofs and plaques are still being ripped off war memorials.

"These crimes not only cause immense inconvenience and upset to the public but they can also put them in real danger, and those who are foolish enough to commit the crime."

Mandy Haeburn-Little, director of the Scottish Business Resilience Centre, added: "It is a crime which can cause long lasting damage in every sense, including emotional.

"We all need to work together to make the theft of metal unacceptable.

"Already we have seen deaths caused by the removal of vital metal casing around power lines and we have seen horrific burns and injuries caused by attempts to break into power stations or to remove cabling from the rail network.

"The reality is that it could be someone in your family who just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. This could be the person to suffer. We will continue to support this ­vital campaign."

catriona.stewart@eveningtimes.co.uk