Infrastructure protectionNew laws help cut metal thefts
Metal thefts have become a plague to businesses throughout the country; some states pass laws which require licenses and permits to buy and sell non-ferrous metals; Spartanburg, South Carolina, also requires that buyers pay for the purchases with checks rather than cash, in order to create a paper trail to the seller of the metal
At $3 per pound, copper theft becomes an attractive idea // Source: exhaustedinc.com
Spartanburg, South Carolina, has passed legislation that is intended to curtail the thefts of non-ferrous metals. The results are mixed.
GoUpstate.com is reporting that the new law, which went into effect last August, has curtailed copper thefts by approximately 15 percent, though the metal thefts and damage continue.
The law requires those who intend to transport and sell non-ferrous metals, such as copper wire, tubing, piping and copper bars, to obtain permits. The law includes non-ferrous metals such as catalytic converters, which contain platinum, and beer kegs, generally made of aluminum, to obtain permits from the county.
With scrap copper prices reaching the $3 per pound level, there is plenty of incentive for thieves to damage property, even churches, to access the valuable copper.
Copper theft is not without its risks, however, as a number of would-be thieves, unaware of the condition of their targets, have been killed or badly injured as a result of attempting to cut and steel high-voltage power lines.
Under the law, buyers of non-ferrous metals are required to purchase permits, at a cost of $200 and valid for two years, and are required to pay for the purchases with checks rather than cash, in order to create a paper trail to the thieves.
Sellers are also required to obtain permits in one of two categories. The first permit is good for forty-eight hours, and may not be issued more than twice each year.
Those who intend to sell more than twice a year are required to visit the sheriff’s office to obtain their permits, and must present a state-issued photo identification along with the registration and license plate number of the vehicle that will be used to transport the metal.
State-licensed contractors are among a limited group of sellers who are exempt from the permit requirement, provided the metals are transported by an employee on the job in a company vehicle.
Some South Carolina scrap dealers claim that the law discourages recycling, and have reported a downturn in business since the law went into effect, speculating that many of the sellers are transporting the metals to nearby Georgia and North Carolina, where such laws do not exist.
