As you are likely aware, the Metal Dealers and Recyclers Act received Royal Assent in November of 2011 and has recently come into force on July 23rd, 2012.

This new law is designed to help prevent the buying and selling of stolen metals by prohibiting the sale of regulated metal without the seller producing valid identification. The Act allows for inspectors or police to inspect a metal dealer’s or recycler’s business premises and records, and also provides the ability to issue Violation Tickets for a number of offences with fines ranging from $100 to $500. If the circumstances warrant further action, police may refer the matter to Crown Counsel which could result in fines of up to $100,000 ($10,000 for a person).

According to the Act, metal dealers and recyclers are required to report transactions to the police on a daily basis. The Kelowna RCMP has already started working with local metal dealers and recyclers for that purpose. To maintain efficiency, a program that is already used by the Kelowna RCMP and local pawn shops will be further utilized, with all local dealers coming online by August 15th, 2012.

Copper theft isn’t just a crime but has become a serious public safety issue that not only endangers the lives of the alleged copper thieves, but also the general public, especially when live wires are involved.

Any suspicious activity should be reported to the RCMP at 250-762-3300, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.crimestoppers.net.