Few snags with metal theft bill
Police, recyclers patient on creation of state databases
Nearly two months after a new comprehensive metal theft reform bill went into effect, local law enforcement and metal recyclers are optimistically waiting for the legislation’s full impact to be felt.
The bill, which became law on July 1, requires secondary metal recyclers to register with the local sheriff’s office and keep photographic records of their transactions in order to create statewide databases.
These files would assist police in investigating the large number of scrap metal and copper thefts that have become more prominent in recent years.
Eight metal recyclers have registered with the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office so far, according to Chief Deputy Tom Caldwell.
When each recycler registers they submit a $ 200 registration fee that is due annually and is given a registration number. The information about each recycler is then kept on file at the sheriff’s office until the statewide database is created.
“That’s all we’re waiting on now,” Caldwell said.
The database of secondary metal recyclers is being established through a partnership with the Association County Commissioners of Georgia and the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association. After it is created, the database will then be maintained “in collaboration” with the Secretary of State’s Office.
While much remains to be done concerning the new metal theft reform bill, Caldwell said he expects it to be looked at again once everything is in place.
“We’re just feeling our way through it really,” Caldwell said.
Part of the proposal developed by the Association County Commissioners of Georgia and Georgia Sheriffs’ Association included setting aside $100 of every registration fee to contrib- ute to the GSA in order to pay for the creation and maintenance of the database.
The fee will be revisited on a yearly basis to make sure the money collected reflects that actual cost for maintaining the database.
Caldwell said he has talked to Floyd County Manager Blaine Williams, and the $200 will be deposited into the county’s general use fund and the Secretary of State’s office will be reimbursed the $ 100 per recycler once the database is set up.
“I’m not sure if all counties will do it the same way but that’s how we are going to do it,” Caldwell said.
Seeing results
Besides registering with the county sheriff’s office, recyclers must also obtain additional information from those who bring in metals, including a photo of the customer and a scan of their driver’s license.
This information will be entered into a separate “transactional” database that is in the process of being created. It will be maintained through the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
“Anything that helps focus recyclers on who is coming in and helps us know who makes these transactions is a step in the right direction,” Caldwell said.
Detective Pete Sailors from the Rome Police Department said that all of the recyclers inside the city have been cooperative.
“We don’t have the exact numbers, but there appears to be a reduction in the number of air conditioner units stolen,” Sailors said.
However, metal thefts are still a problem. St. Mary’s Catholic Church had copper wiring stolen from air conditioning units three separate times in recent weeks.
The Rome detective said that the fact that the air conditioning units were not stolen means that thieves know that it is getting harder to sell certain items to metal recycling centers.
“The motivation to take certain things has decreased, and that is a good thing,” Sailors said.