LANSING – State Representative Kate Ebli (D-Monroe) voted today for a plan to crack down on the theft of copper and other metals, a growing crime that is costing Michigan farmers and businesses millions of dollars. The plan now heads to the Senate for approval.
"The price of copper and other scrap metals are continuing to climb, and thieves are increasingly going after our local farmers and businesses to get their hands on these materials," Ebli said. "When thieves attack our irrigation systems or other metal equipment, it is costing our farmers a great deal of money. This is something farmers in Monroe County and across Michigan simply cannot afford. Protecting our farmers' hard-earned money will allow them to grow their business, which will boost our economy, create jobs and help us toward our goal of moving Michigan forward."
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.
"Metal thieves are extremely difficult to catch because they usually operate at night," Ebli said. "By giving the authorities the means to track down these criminals we can stop them from turning stolen metal into quick cash, we are protecting our farms and families and will put an end to this practice before it becomes an even bigger problem."