Mystery as doorknobs disappear overnight from Hamilton Square

Oct 8 2008 by Carrie Catterall, Birkenhead News

knobs

AT LEAST 10 brass doorknobs were stolen overnight from the doors of grade one listed buildings in Hamilton Square, Birkenhead.

The doorknobs mysteriously vanished one evening last month and have not been seen by their owners since.

Kerry Lloyd, manager of Scantec personnel based in Hamilton Square, said: “I just came to work as normal and noticed our doorknob was gone.

“I’ve heard up to 15 have been taken.

“I assume the thieves thought they could get money for the brass.

“But either way there’s not a lot we can do about it now - things are bad when doorknobs are getting stolen.”

According to Paddy Whelan from Green Lane Scrap Dealers in Birkenhead, brass is valued at £1.50 a kilo.

He said: “People wouldn’t really get much money from selling brass doorknobs to a scrap dealer.

“If someone came along to sell me 10 of them I’d be a bit suspicious - I don’t know anyone who has that many doorknobs in their house.

“We only buy scrap from people with ID who look sensible and we work closely with the police using a technique called Smart water.”

Smart water is a liquid which is only visible under a special light. It is applied to materials that are at risk of being stolen and sold to scrap dealers, like lead from a church roof.

Paddy said: “I don’t think doorknobs would have Smart water on them though. There’s no way of really securing a doorknob.”

Because the buildings are grade one listed, Wirral Council has urged owners to replace their doorknob with one of similar appearance or get listed buildings consent for a visibly different one.