In scrap metal summit at Memphis, interstate cooperation touted as key to curbing crime
By Samantha Bryson, The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tenn. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
The meeting was co-hosted by Tennessee Atty. Gen.
"This is a problem that doesn't respect state lines," Cooper said. "It makes a lot of sense for all of us to pull together."
Copper theft has been on the rise since the economic downturn of 2008 sent most metal prices skyrocketing. But as the price ticked up, so did the incentive for thieves to steal it from construction sites, home air conditioning units and farm equipment.
"Homeowners would walk outside to find their air conditioners mangled and
Scrap metal recycling is a
"It's important economically, and it's important to the environment," he said. "Like with any successful business, there are always a few people who try to take advantage of it."
The problem is increasingly an interstate problem, according to details shared by Special Agent
"We hear from scrap metal dealers in
Damage to homes and construction sites is a nuisance in
"Two or three guys hitting pivots are going home with 200 bucks in their pocket. Insurance companies shell out ten grand and, depending on the season, the farmer is out their crops," he said.
The
"If there's an incentive for people to come to
The consensus among many of the leaders was that the use of technology to trace and track stolen copper across state lines would also be critical.
The company is already used by many law enforcement agencies who track pawnshop or pseudoephedrine sales, but not all counties in
"This is the kind of easy money that if someone figures out how to do it once, they go back and do it again and again and again," McDaniel said.
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