Governor signs measure to enhance penalties for precious metals theft

Governor signs bill regarding copper theft sponsored by region's legislators

A bill targeting copper theft sponsored by Southeast Missouri senator and representative was signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Mike Parson.

The goal of the bill is to make it more difficult for stolen copper to be sold by thieves and also crack down on those who steal precious metals and catalytic converters, according to House sponsor Rep. Hardy Billington (R-Poplar Bluff). The bill was sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Jason Bean (R-Holcomb).

The bill goes into effect Aug. 28. It was presented to the governor May 25.

Billington's bill requires most transactions of scrap metal to be paid for by check or electronic funds transfer, or to include a copy of the seller's photo identification, according to a press release.

A system currently exists to track sales of potentially stolen copper, but cash transactions of less than $50 are untraceable, Billington explained.

The change included in House Bill 69 will ensure all sales can be tracked, which will help to identify and deter thieves, he said.

"When thieves steal copper, they don't just take property -- they often cause major damage to buildings and equipment. They go through sheetrock and under houses to take the copper in wiring and plumbing. They steal copper coils from air conditioning units. This can quickly cause serious damage, sometimes in the tens of thousands of dollars," said Billington.

The bill also addresses the growing problem of catalytic converter theft by making it a class E Felony to steal a catalytic converter, he said. This act requires records of sales of certain metals to be maintained for three years rather than two years, the bill also states. A transaction that includes a detached catalytic converter shall occur at the fixed place of business of the purchaser. A detached catalytic converter shall be maintained for 5 business days before it is altered, modified, disassembled or destroyed.

Additionally, the bill requires buyers of precious metals to wait at least 10 days to melt down the item.

"I would like to thank my colleagues and industry representatives who worked together for a bill that has the potential to drastically cut down the untold damages caused by thefts of copper, catalytic converters and precious metals," Billington said. "I especially appreciate the hard work of Jason Bean in getting HB69 through the Senate."