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Some tough community laws will be weakened
Every day, in virtually every city with an aging housing stock, there is someone on the prowl for old pipes and recyclable copper - even if it means breaking the law to get it.
That has been the long-standing complaint from officers in cities such as Youngstown, Warren, Girard and dozens of others across the state.
Now, state officials hope new state laws will address the issue.
The aftermath of the crimes can be seen in police logs in every jurisdiction.
In early September, almost $150,000 worth of copper and steel was lost in two incidents after tractor trailers containing goods were stolen in Austintown. The thefts occurred within two days of each other, after each of the drivers left the unhitched trailers in parking lots so their trucks could be serviced.
More recently, copper thefts occurred at two Ohio Edison substations in Youngstown.
On Canfield Road, 200 feet of copper wire and 30 feet of copper straps were taken. The cost to replace, including labor, is estimated at $3,000.
On Oak Street Extension, copper wire from 25 ground beams was taken. The value was listed as $50.
Perhaps one of the most glaring examples of the danger in copper pipe theft is the September explosion of a home in Girard that ripped apart a neighborhood and sent several people to the hospital. Police determined that gas was released when pipes were stolen from the home and sold to a scrap yard.
Under new state guidelines, which took effect in September, it may not be as easy to pass stolen metal off onto scrap yards.
The law requires every scrap-metal dealer to maintain a record book or electronic file with an accurate and complete record of all articles purchased or received and keep the information on file for one year. The records must contain the name of the seller, time of purchase and a description of the item including identifiable marks.
The dealer also must photograph the purchased material and obtain proof from that seller that he or she does own the items being sold. Payments must be in the form of a check where payment is withheld for a period of two days.
The law limits scrap metal dealers to the purchase of no more than one catalytic converter per day from any one person and specifically names items that fall under the new guidelines.
State Sen. John Boccieri of New Middletown, D-33rd, said he cannot say if the new legislation will be eliminating or drastically reducing copper and metal thefts in the state, however. He said the state guidelines, which supersede any local laws, may actually be weaker than more stringent laws on the books in some areas.
“This puts these uniform standards in place when there were some municipalities that had much more stringent laws already in place. It should be left up to each individual municipality to handle those issues,” said Boccieri, who will leave the Ohio House to become a U.S. congressman in January.
State Sen. Capri Cafaro of Liberty, D-32nd, also had some concerns about the legislation taking control from local jurisdictions, but said some means of control and accountability had to be put in place.
“To be able to have regulations that assure accountability will hopefully curtail some of the thefts associated with scrap metal. It’s not just the scrap metal, it’s people breaking into these buildings and attempting to steal wiring and everything else,” she said.
Ultimately, Cafaro said, having something on the books to address the issue is better than having nothing in place at all.
Janice Williams, manager at Girard Recycling in Girard, said following the new guidelines should not be a problem for reputable dealers in scrap metals. Her company, she said, had in fact already been using many of the new standards before they were imposed by the state.
“We make sure a person has identification for anything that goes across the scale. You should always do that so you know who is bringing in what, especially with the copper and brass. If there is an issue the cops can find these people,” she said.
The law requires dealers to keep a log of each transaction for a year, but Williams said she keeps the information permanently. She said the company also makes it a policy to work with police in the search of any stolen metals.
jgoodwin@vindy.com