Time to Register Scrappers?

COURT HOUSE — With the price of scrap metal soaring, thieves have taken to stealing metal wherever they can find it.
Copper wires from utility poles, air conditioning units, and even a wheelchair lift have all been taken by the nefarious seeking to make a buck at someone else’s expense.
“I was just wondering, do the scrap yards have to identify the people bringing metal to the yard?” asked Karl Karmilowicz, an Avalon Manor resident, during the March 5 Middle Township Committee meeting.
According to Police Chief Chris Leusner, a local scrap yard uses video surveillance and “has been very cooperative when we come there on an investigation.”
Scrap yards, however, do not collect personal information from the seller.
“There is no regulation right now for any scrap metal yards in Middle Township to comply with any of those potential regulations,” said Leusner.
The chief shared that he is cognizant of talk on a statewide level, and he has spoken with the owner of a local scrap yard about the owner’s concern regarding regulations that may be placed on his business by township committee.
The owner is “concerned that whatever would be placed on his business, potentially by township committee, would make him non-competitive with other businesses in the region.”
Scrap metal theft is a rising problem in the area, according to Leusner.
“We have had some victims of scrap metal theft that I know have I been in contact with,” he added.
Leusner said the owner of the scrap yard does have video and is cooperating with police. “It’s just tough,” said Leusner, “because that stuff is coming in and out quick. It is being cut up and taken out immediately. If we get a report two or three days later, we’re probably past the point of making an arrest.”
“Part of the solution to slow it down,” said Karmilowicz, “would be photo ID and registration of the vehicle that is bringing in the stuff.”