The Senate Law and Public Safety and Veterans’ Affairs Committee today released an anti-crime initiative (S-1781) sponsored Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblyman Daniel M. Van Pelt that would require owners of scrap metal yards to maintain purchasing records for transactions involving metals.
The measure is designed to combat the rising tide of metal theft in the state, a criminal trend that has dramatically increased across the country as the result of the increasing prices of certain metals, including copper and aluminum.
“As the most likely venues for thieves to trade in their stolen materials, our Delegation is seeking to establish mandatory record maintenance requirements for scrap metal businesses to assist law enforcement with open investigations,” said Senator Connors, a member of the Senate Law and Public Safety and Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “This legislation was drafted in consultation with the Stafford Police Department whose insight was invaluable in determining the most effective means of combating this crime which continues to occur at alarming levels across the country. The sponsorship of the Committee’s Chairman, Senator John Girgenti, added bipartisan support for this initiative. The Committee’s decision to release our bill creates the opportunity for our state to establish strong deterrents for criminals who wish to engage in this type of crime.”
Under the Delegation’s initiative, scrap metal businesses would be required to verify the ID of a person delivering or selling scrap metal by examining a driver’s license or other government issued ID with a photo. Businesses would be required to maintain records for at least five years that would include the date of a purchase, name and address of the seller, and a copy of the ID provided as well as a description of the metal.
Scrap metal businesses would also be required to make information available to any law enforcement official investigating the theft of scrap metal. Additionally, police departments would be able to notify scrap metal businesses of a reported theft and provide details as to the type of metal stolen.
“Individuals and businesses alike are falling victim to perpetrators looking for a quick score by cashing in on the spiraling market price increases for metals such as copper and aluminum,” said Assemblyman Rumpf. “The rise in metal theft in New Jersey and neighboring states requires that law enforcement be provided with the necessary tools to apprehend and prosecute these criminals. The information scrap metal businesses would be required to obtain from sellers, including their address and driver’s license information, would prove essential to law enforcement in their investigations.”
The operator of a scrap metal business would be required to report to law enforcement any suspicious delivery of scrap metal that may have been illegally obtained.
Violations of the record maintenance or reporting suspicious delivery provisions would be a disorderly persons’ offense. Additionally, 3rd and subsequence violations would constitute a crime of the 4th degree.
Assemblyman Van Pelt went on to say, “By not doing anything to combat the rising tide of metal theft, the state runs the risk of allowing more businesses and homeowners to be added to the growing list of victims of this crime at the current alarming rate. Unfortunately, scrap metal businesses become involved with these crimes through no fault of their own. But the fact of matter is information that only they would posses could prove to be the piece of evidence linking a criminal to a specific crime and ensuring that they are brought to justice.”
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), 20 states have enacted laws regarding metal theft and 27 states are considering legislation.
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