Law could help tag metal thieves

A simple paper tag could turn into a potent new weapon in the fight against scrap metal thieves, Wichita police said Friday.

A city ordinance revision that took effect Friday requires people attempting to sell copper-bearing refrigeration coils to scrap metal dealers to have a tag attached to the coil verifying that the refrigerant has been lawfully removed.

The tag has to have been signed by someone with an EPA license to remove refrigerant gases. All of the estimated 120 local heating and air conditioning companies have that license, Wichita police Detective Aaron Harrison said.

The measure is aimed at scrap metal thieves who vandalize air conditioning units for a few dollars' worth of copper, Harrison said.

"In the past we've had a huge problem" with the coils being stolen and immediately sold to scrap dealers, Harrison said.

Over the past three years, copper thieves have caused an estimated $1 million in damage to air conditioning units connected to homes, businesses and shopping centers, he said.

Heating and air conditioning businesses already have to attach a similar tag to refrigerators they are selling to scrap yards. The business owners can print off the language for the air conditioning coils from the Police Department's Web site and attach it to tags.

Harrison said he's not concerned about thieves creating counterfeit tags, because that would require more time and effort than they'd be willing to commit.

"They're rather low-functioning" people, Harrison said of the meth and drug addicts who comprise the bulk of metal thieves. "They're serious drug addicts. I just don't see them doing it."

He's been to "every scrap yard in town" to discuss the ordinance revisions, and "they've all agreed" to require the tags.

The scrap yards will also require government-issued photo identification from scrap sellers, and will take down addresses and vehicle descriptions of the sellers.

Starting Jan. 1, scrap metal dealers will have to send daily transaction lists showing what they've bought from the public — just like pawn shops now do, Harrison said.

This story was originally published March 27, 2010 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Law could help tag metal thieves."