RESIDENTS are being urged to report suspicious-looking workmen after metal grates worth £5,000 were stolen from streets in Burnley — leaving potential ‘death traps’ for youngsters and the elderly.

Another spate of thefts involving the cast-iron grid tops, which are sold on for their scrap value, has prompted police chiefs to ask householders to be vigilant against the rogue work crews.

The thieves struck in Colin Street and Kinross Street between midday on Sunday and the early hours of Monday, escaping with 22 during a sustained raid.

Police believe that the scrap metal gangs are posing as legitimate local authority workers in order to steal the grates.

Sgt Phil Carter, of Burnley police, said: “We would appeal to anyone in Burnley who sees suspicious activity around these metal grates to report it to police.

“It is highly likely that these gangs will have access to a van and will arrive dressed in high-visibility jackets, making them appear to be genuine council workers.”

Even for a large number of grates the scrap value is only estimated at a couple of hundred pounds.

But Lancashire County Council officials say it costs up to £300 to replace a stolen gully top - as engineering work may have to be carried out on the surrounding carriageway.

“By stealing grates these thieves are leaving behind potential death traps for an unsuspecting child, cyclist or motorist to come across. I really do hope that nobody is injured before we catch the culprits.

A Lancashire County Council spokesman said: “By stealing grates these thieves are leaving behind potential death traps for an unsuspecting child, cyclist or motorist to come across. We really hope that nobody is injured before we catch the culprits.”

Council engineers are replacing the stolen grates with a lightweight ‘ductile iron’ alternative which has little or no scrap value.

The Burnley thefts follow a spate in Hyndburn last month, which saw 20 gully tops disappear from the Woodnook area of Accrington, leaving the authority with a £6,000 bill. Back in March another 20 were taken from streets in south west Burnley.

The spokesman added: “Although each and every theft hits taxpayers in the pocket, people will be pleased to know that we are fighting back.

“Because of the publicity more and more residents are reporting thefts and the police are now actively pursuing the thieves.”

“Someone reading this may know something as clearly these gangs are organised and someone somewhere is paying for the scrap.”