Metal theft causes flood at Going Places, Kidderminster

Metal thieves have caused a flood at a Worcestershire travel agency.

Police said they were alerted by fire crews dealing with an incident on Tuesday evening where "water cascaded down two floors and on to the street".

Firefighters used a ladder to break into the property in Coventry Street, Kidderminster, and found water pouring from a pipe in the roof.

Police said the theft of £6 of copper piping caused the flood, which affected a branch of Going Places.

PC Atoosa Nasri, of West Mercia Police, said it was the second flood caused by metal thieves in Kidderminster in a week.

In the other incident, an empty building in Worcester Street was targeted some time between 27 January and 1 February.

The officer said a "significant quantity of lead" was stolen from the roof and a small amount of copper piping from inside.

Home Secretary Theresa May announced proposed new laws to tackle the growing problem of metal theft last week.

She said cash payments for scrap metal would be outlawed and fines "significantly increased" to tackle the problem.