Changing market forces influence the conservation and deterioration of heritage objects in a multitude of ways. The official market is shadowed by its underground double- historic materials are subject to organised theft by gangs. Harnessing their material and contextual value, heritage assemblies are deconstructed and their parts sold to the highest bidder. The components are then either up-cycled or re-cycled: amalgated into new creations that cash in on reminiscing the past or harvested for their material value and maybe reused as building material in oversea countries experiencing a shortage of raw material supply.
Lead- £1,500 per tonne
The steep increase in prices paid for lead makes the roofs of listed churches a target. Metal thiefs are said to conventiently locate lucrative targets with the help of Google Earth. Eleanor Clark, director of the Ragged School Museum is quoted "Any building that looks old is being targeted."- the equation being old=valuable. article and article
York stone pavement £110 per sqm
Meanwhile a posse of fake council workmen keep themselves and the police in and around Camden borough hard at work by neatly cordoning off areas with official barriers, then ripping up pavement and spiriting their stony spoils away in a white van. The stone paving, often used in conservation areas is later resold. The local council is appealing for locals to be on the look-out for the gang. article
