AN unlicensed scrap metal collector had his vehicle seized just moments after he was seen removing items from a private property last week.

Last Friday, officers from Cherwell District Council’s community safety team were working on Springfield Avenue in Banbury when they witnessed a driver and his passenger taking items from a skip located on private property.

They were also seen looking at a child’s bicycle in Lidsey Road, before being interrupted by the homeowner.

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After being stopped by police on Edmund's Road, the driver was found with multiple items in his van, including a bicycle in 'very good condition' and the police seized the vehicle.

Councillor Andrew McHugh, Cherwell’s executive member with responsibility for licensing, said: “Banbury residents are rightly concerned about illegal scrap collection in their town. This decisive action - against a collector who was looking to take business away from the many legitimate collectors in our area - shows how seriously we take this issue."

Roadside checks concluded that the driver was unlicensed as a scrap collector in Cherwell, not in possession of a waste carrier’s licence, and uninsured in the vehicle he was driving.

Cherwell is now considering further enforcement measures, including prosecuting the individual for collecting without required licenses.