METAL dealers at two Oxfordshire scrapyards are among 20 people charged with 146 crimes.

A Thames Valley Police specialist team from Operation Symphony has interviewed and charged dealers and staff linked to five scrapyards after raids in May.

Peter Smith, 68, Tommy Smith, 36, Joey Smith, 23, Henry Penfold, 21, and Matthew Miles, 25, were arrested after a raid on scrapyard Smiths of Bloxham. All were charged with attempting to acquire and conceal criminal property and bailed to appear at Banbury Magistrates’ on December 14.

After a similar raid at TR Rogers & Sons in Nuneham Courtenay, Terence Rogers, 69, of High Street, Drayton St Leonard, Simon Rogers, 42, of Bromsgrove, Faringdon, and Darren Andrews, 34, of Colwell Road, Berinsfield, were charged with attempt to acquire and attempt to conceal criminal property.

They will all appear at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on December 14.

Martin Pace, 35, of Abbott Road, Didcot, also face the same charges and will appear at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on December 12.