In an effort to combat Arkansas’ metal-theft problem, Attorney General Leslie Rutledge is launching a coordinated statewide Metal Theft Prevention Program, a new initiative from the Attorney General Office’s Special Investigations Division.
Rutledge was joined at a press conference by Arkansas Farm Bureau President Randy Veach and AT&T Arkansas Director of External Affairs Ronald Dedman.
“For far too long, too many scrapyards have not been following the law and thus, allowing criminals to get away with metal theft,” Rutledge said. “As attorney general, I am launching a coordinated statewide effort to train local law enforcement to target metal theft and instructing agents of the Special Investigations Division at the Attorney General’s Office to begin controlled sales and inspections of scrapyards to ensure non-precious metal is properly registered. These crimes have gone on far too long, and are harming Arkansas businesses, farms, schools, homes and churches. Enough is enough, and today, we begin a process of bringing an end to these crimes.”
Arkansas Act 1354 of 2013 requires scrap metal recyclers to receive a license issued by their local sheriff. It also creates a compliance report that allows law enforcement to easily check to see if scrap metal recyclers are reporting all information required by state law. Those not reporting properly are subject to a civil penalty of $1,000 per violation.
According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, Arkansas was ranked No. 5 in insurance claims for metal theft with more than 600 claims from 2010-2012.
Farmers are one of the largest targeted groups of metal theft. Thieves are taking wire off agricultural pivot irrigation systems—a felonious sale that may net them a few hundred dollars. The crime costs farmers at least $10,000 to repair and delays their crop schedules.
“This problem is becoming an epidemic around our state,” Veach said, adding that the problem is not only expensive “but could lead to very serious injury or death” for farmers who come in contact with strewn debris after the crime.
After processing a query of the available National Incident Based Reporting System data submitted by participating law enforcement agencies in Arkansas for 2014, 602 incidents returned with stolen metals (non-precious). As part of the NIBRS reporting structure, non-precious metals include base metals or alloys possessing luster, malleability, ductility and conductivity of electricity and heat, as well as ferrous and non-ferrous metals such as iron, steel, tin, aluminum, copper, brass, copper wire, copper pipe and others.
So far this year, there have been 65 cases of cable theft. Last year, there were 130 cases, costing $1.5 million, Dedman said, adding that thieves attack the copper components of cell and microwave sites.
Arkansas has existing laws, but because of limited resources, these laws are not being consistently enforced.
To target the metal theft, sworn officers in the Special Investigations Division at the Attorney General’s Office will conduct trainings with local law enforcement to use a free online service, LeadsOnline, to target metal theft. The weeklong trainings in late July will be held in Jonesboro, Fort Smith, Texarkana, Mountain Home, El Dorado, Monticello, Fayetteville, West Memphis and Little Rock.
In August, these agents will begin controlled sales and inspections of scrapyards to ensure that non-precious metal is properly registered and scrapyards are in compliance with the law. If there is proof that a scrapyard not following the law, agents have the authority to issue warnings or citations, which are up to $1,000 for each offense.
“It doesn’t just hit anyone, it hits everyone,” Rutledge said, “and together we can combat this problem.”