Bill to stop metal theft - KXLT - Fox 47 Rochester MN News, Weather and Sports

ROCHESTER, Minn. (FOX 47) -- As the price of copper quadrupled over the past five years, scrap metal thefts increased.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar stopped Monday at Nietz Electric in Rochester to promote a bill to crack down on metal thieves. The Metal Theft Prevention Act of 2012 would make stealing metal a federal crime.

The legislation would require people selling metal to recyclers to provide documentation that they own the metal or are authorized to sell it.

"I'm calling on scrap metal dealers to register with the state, video record all purchases, and pay sellers by check rather than cash," Klobuchar said. "We need to be as determined as the thieves who are stealing the copper."

Because cash is the incentive for the general thief, there will be a $100 limit at which point the recyclers will pay by check.