Building bricks are now the target of criminals.

bricks rubble

Criminals are targeting churches and cemeteries as well as private houses to steal bricks, heavy vehicles ram the walls and then scoop up the bricks and drive off with them.

The “London stock”  brick is very much a distinctively coloured brick and very attractive in appearance, sometimes described as a “yellow stock” or “red stock” they can be worth  around around £1 each as a second hand brick.

The bricks were originally produced in the 19th century and were used to build the distinctive Victorian houses in London, they are now in demand to build extensions to such original properties.

Police in East London arereported as being busy investigating such thefts driven by a brick shortage in the capital , criminals drive into front garden walls as an example which in some cases demolish quite easily due to the age of the construction, they  then load them onto the vehicle and drive away.

This is a crime on the community where people live and in many cases it is damaging the local heritage, people need to be vigilant to such crimes taking place and need to report any suspicious activities in this respect, getting the licence plate number of the vehicle involved is very important, no doubt a mobile phone camera will come in handy in such a case.

Allen Walkey

Highly experienced businessman with a successful career in property sales and investment both in the UK and abroad. Now a freelance writer and blogger for the property and Investment Industry, keeping readers up-to-date with changes and events in a rapidly changing world.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Breaking Property News 1/4/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Winning the AI Era: A Playbook for UK Estate Agencies The AI-Driven Rewiring of UK Estate Agency Thought Leadership by Andrew Stanton CEO Proptech-PR Real estate has historically been conservative, fragmented, and inefficient. A surge of startups, is introducing automation, data-driven decision-making, and better customer experiences. This…
Read More
Breaking News

What renters and landlords need to know ahead of major rental law changes

With just one month to go until the first phase of the Renters’ Rights Act comes into force, the leading professional body, Propertymark, is urging renters and landlords across England to understand how the changes could affect them. From 1 May 2026, the legislation will introduce some of the biggest changes to the private rented…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

Tackling Empty Properties

A UK Perspective on Best Practice and Recommendations for Reform Propertymark, the UK’s leading professional body for property agents, has today published a comprehensive new position paper highlighting the urgent need for coordinated, practical and properly resourced action to bring long-term empty properties back into use. With over 359,000 homes sitting empty for more than…
Read More
Breaking News

Pet-friendly rentals plunge 39%

New research from Inventory Base reveals that the number of pet-friendly rental homes in England has fallen by -39% since the start of 2026, as landlords appear to be reducing the number of homes openly marketed as allowing pets ahead of the Renters’ Rights Act taking effect from 1st May. The Renters’ Rights Act (RRA)…
Read More
Breaking News

Latest Nationwide house price data showing a 2.2% increase

Industry reaction to Nationwide house price data showing UK annual house price growth picked up to 2.2% in March, from 1.0% in February. Nathan Emerson, CEO of Propertymark, comments: “An uplift in house prices will be welcomed by the market and suggests that buyer demand remains resilient despite ongoing economic headwinds. Improved sentiment, coupled with…
Read More
Breaking News

UK house price growth picks up in March

UK annual house price growth picked up to 2.2% in March, from 1.0% in February Northern Ireland best performing area in Q1 2026, with prices up 9.5% year-on-year Outer South East weakest performing region, with prices down 0.7% compared with Q1 2025 Headlines Mar-26 Feb-26 Monthly Index* 552.6 547.7 Monthly Change* 0.9% 0.3% Annual Change…
Read More