Bradford's new bill seeks increased penalties for scrap metal theft

COLUMBIA (Scrap Monster): Bradford City is reportedly working on a bill to curb rising scrap metal theft incidents. The House Bill 80 proposes sharp increase in penalties for scrap metal thefts. The bill grades the offense and related penalties based on the value of the stolen secondary metal.

According to reports, scrap metal theft has become a serious issue all over the state. The number of theft incidents from oil fields, construction sites and mining sites have increased multi-fold. The theft of metal from rails and catalytic converters from vehicles has been on the rise. Increased incidents of thefts of copper pipes from air conditioning units are being reported during recent times.

The state has already urged municipalities to pass necessary ordinance to put an end to acts of scrap metal thefts. The ordinance should clearly mention the responsibilities of scrap yards that deal with these metals. The scrap yards should be asked to hold scrap for a longer period so as to enable verification by police. Moreover, cash transactions should be strictly banned. The yards should maintain proper records of all transaction along with details of the person who sell the scrap to them.

As per provisions of the new House Bill 80, if the value of the stolen item is less than $50, the offense will be considered as a third-degree misdemeanor, which carries a maximum of one year in prison and a $2,500 fine. If the value is more than $1,000, the offense will be graded a third-degree felony, which carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine. Every repeated offense starting from the third one will always be graded a third-degree felony.