LANSING – State Representative Robert Dean (D-Grand Rapids) voted today for a plan to crack down on the theft of copper and other metals, a growing crime that is costing Michigan citizens and businesses millions of dollars. The plan now heads to the Senate for approval.
"Our residents are being increasingly victimized by these unscrupulous metal thieves, and this plan will go a long way to protecting our businesses and consumers," Dean said. "When thieves cut through telephone wire to salvage the copper, they are cutting off our contact to the important services such as the police and 911 dispatchers. They are also costing our agricultural operations money when they rip out their irrigation systems or other metal equipment. They are threatening the livelihood of our families and it needs to be stopped."
The plan, which passed the House on a vote of 107-1, will:
- Require that payment for scrap metal no longer be made by cash, but rather by check or electronic means.
- Require second hand or junk dealers to keep a copy of a seller's driver's license or state ID card.
- Broaden the industries protected by scrap metal regulations by basing penalties on repeat violations, rather than the source of the metal, so that everything from agricultural machinery to irrigation systems to broadcasting equipment would be covered under the new plan.
- Increase penalties for secondhand dealers and junk dealers who knowingly buy or sell stolen metals. Those dealers will be guilty of a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine for the first offense, and five years in prison and a $10,000 fine for subsequent offenses. That money would go to support local libraries.
"Since metal thieves usually operate at night, they are often very difficult to catch," Dean said. "By giving the authorities additional tools to fight this crime, our plan will shut down thieves' ability to turn stolen metal into quick cash, and stop this growing problem."