SPRINGFIELD -- Gov. Matt Blunt says the high price of copper is driving thieves to scrap yards for a quick buck.  At a news conference on Monday morning, the governor talked about how the thefts net just a few dollars but leave thousands of dollars in damage to public and private property.  His solution is to get the scrap yards involved.
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   Edited news release from the governor’s office:

    Gov. Matt Blunt urges the General Assembly to pass tough new laws aimed at putting a stop to the disturbing trend of copper and other metal theft that is hurting Missouri consumers, farmers, business owners and utilities.

   Missouri , as well as the rest of our country, is in the midst of a copper theft spree,” Gov. Blunt said. “I urge lawmakers to send to my desk tough laws to give law enforcement some of the strongest tools in the country against metal thieves and provide prosecutors with the hard evidence they need to put these copper and metal thieves behind iron prison bars.”

   Copper and metal theft is on the rise across the nation and in Missouri .  Driven by increasing costs for the metals, thieves are capitalizing on prices that are approximately five times what they were just four years ago. 

   “The scrap metal theft is a destructive and dangerous criminal trend,” said Mark James Director of the Department of Public Safety.  “I appreciate the governor’s efforts to help support stronger laws. If we want to deter crime, we have to implement policies that restrict criminal opportunity.”     

     In Missouri , for example, two men from Independence are suspected of stealing more than 16,000 pounds of material from an Army munitions plant.  An attentive scrap-dealer helped put an end to their alleged scheme. 

    These thieves have stripped copper wiring, pipes and tubing from utilities and homes which creates the risk of flooding, fires and the potential electrocution of workers fixing the problem.  Some criminals are even stealing manholes, traffic signal boxes, beer kegs, gas grills and aluminum bleacher seats and selling them for scrap.

       Bills in the Legislature would modify current record-keeping requirements for scrap-dealers, making it easier to catch copper thieves and save property.  Under this legislation, dealers would be required to keep a log of most copper, brass, bronze, or aluminum transactions over $50 and save the records for two years. 

       In addition, the bills would limit the number of people authorized to sell items commonly targeted for metal theft, such as iron manhole covers and stainless-steel beer kegs.  They also would require payments over $500 to be made by check or another method that would leave a paper trail.  The legislation also makes the crime of metal theft a Class C felony.

        Last year, Gov. Blunt directed state law enforcement to hold community meetings to help find solutions to prevent copper and metal theft in Missouri .  In addition, at his direction, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri Information Analysis Center have been taking aggressive actions to stop this theft.

    “Gov. Blunt has taken swift action to find solutions to address the increasing problems associated with the theft of precious metals, particularly copper wire, from electric cooperatives, utility companies, farmers, and private residences,” said Major Ron Replogle, who oversees the Criminal Investigation Bureau of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.  “Gov. Blunt coordinated a number of town hall meetings across the state to address the problem from both a legislative and law enforcement perspective.  Since that time, the Missouri Information and Analysis Center has developed a statewide database to monitor theft cases and look for common links between cases.  I know law enforcement greatly appreciates Gov. Blunt’s leadership on this issue.”

       Gov. Blunt urged lawmakers to quickly pass Senate Bills 1034 and 802, which are now being considered in the General Assembly.