Metal theft bill clears Ore. House
(File photo) By Associated PressSALEM, Ore. (AP) - The Legislature has taken another stab at stopping thieves who steal metal and sell it for quick cash. The House voted unanimously Thursday for Senate Bill 570, which would require scrap metal dealers to pay for their material with a check mailed to the seller's home no sooner than three business days after the sale. The dealers would also have to keep a record of each transaction for a year, and notify police if they suspect metal is stolen. The 2007 Legislature passed laws to limit metal theft, but the ravaging continued as the rising price for scrap metal enticed thieves to steal everything from gutters and bleachers to sculptures and catalytic converters. The thievery persisted even when metal prices plummeted during the economic meltdown. As a result, several state lawmakers arrived in Salem this January with ideas for bills that would get tough on the thieves and on the businesses that buy from them. Senate Bill 570 was drafted with the understanding that thieves are motivated by the prospect of quick money from buyers who ask few questions and pay cash on the spot. The money is generally used to buy drugs. "Metal theft affects both rural and urban communities and fuels the meth epidemic in Oregon," Rep. Brent Barton, D-Clackamas, said Thursday. "This bill is a necessary step in keeping our neighborhoods safe." The bill also makes it a misdemeanor to alter metal property, such as when someone obliterates a serial number. The legislation has faced little opposition. A lobbyist for metal recyclers was unhappy with the bill's added requirements for record-keeping and reporting, but had no luck swaying lawmakers. The bill now returns to the Senate, which unanimously approved it in April, for agreement on minor changes made in the House. It will then go to Gov. Ted Kulongoski. |
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February 8, 2012
- Coos Bay / North Bend, Oregon
