wiredinUSA December 2011

INDEX

MAKING THENEWS

The Ottawa Citizen reports that people who sell high value metals, such as copper, will soon have their personal information collected and shared with police under new legislation proposed by the BC government, in an attempt to deter copper theft by making it harder to sell and purchase the metals. Copper theft bill for BC “Metal theft has widespread conse- quences because it damages property and puts public safety at risk when such things as telephone wires are stripped and 911 services are interrupted,” Solicitor General Shirley Bond explained. “In one municipality, more than $3 million damage caused by metal theft was recorded in a single year. “We recognize provincial legislation alone will not solve the entire problem,” she continued. “Our proposed legislation

is just the first step. We will complement it with other strategies, including encouraging the federal government to develop tougher legislation regarding the impact of metal theft on critical infrastructure.” The proposed legislation will force scrap metal yards to record details about people who sell high value metal, including names, addresses, telephone numbers and dates of birth. The information will be shared daily with police using privacy codes. Police must still present a court order to receive specific personal details, the bill states. The proposed law is the first of its kind in Canada, and scrap dealers will not be allowed to buy metal from people who refuse to provide personal information.

wiredInUSA - December 2011

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