| t news coverage across the U.S. has cited a rising | | | | in discerning between stolen material and |
| problem in infrastructure metal theft from | | | | legitimate materials that comes from a scrap |
| Pittsburgh to Massachusetts to Washington. | | | | yard. Thankfully, stolen material is said to be a |
| Sewer grates, manhole covers, and even steel | | | | small percentage of the materials that comes into |
| bridge castings from a railroad company have | | | | scrap yards. |
| become the items of choice for those looking to | | | | The recent rise in ferrous metal theft is a serious |
| cash in on the high price of metal. As the | | | | concern due to the relative ease and availability of |
| domestic and international demand for | | | | iron and steel materials. In addition, thieves will |
| infrastructure and manufacturing metals has | | | | often cause serious damage to public or private |
| increased, the price for these commodities has | | | | infrastructure during the theft. Recovery of these |
| created an escalation of metal thefts. These | | | | materials is very difficult and replacement costs |
| types of crimes do not only create serious safety | | | | are often expensive. |
| problems, they also add a significant financial | | | | In the past couple of years especially, thieves |
| burden to the communities affected. | | | | have directed their attentions to nonferrous |
| "Government agencies, police, and the public | | | | materials, such as copper, bronze, stainless steel, |
| should be alert that the metal theft epidemic that | | | | and aluminum. ISRI's alert system reports the |
| we have been experiencing…has now | | | | theft of a diverse collection of materials. |
| apparently spread to ferrous materials," quoted a | | | | Everything from cemetery urns and copper wiring |
| representative for the Institute of Scrap | | | | to rural irrigation systems and bleachers from ball |
| Recycling Industries (ISRI) in a spring 2008 article | | | | fields have been heisted by metal thieves. In |
| on their Web site. | | | | addition, the system has indicated nonferrous |
| ISRI is a non-profit trade organization that | | | | materials are also the target of thieves, including |
| represents more than 1,350 companies that | | | | newsprint, cardboard and plastic milk crates. |
| process, broker, and industrially consume scrap | | | | Prior to the rise in metal theft several years ago, |
| commodities. The organization works to develop | | | | the ISRI had created recommendations for |
| tools to help law enforcement fight material theft | | | | reducing the risk of accepting stolen materials. A |
| crimes and to educate about the need for | | | | cooperative relationship between police and those |
| comprehensive efforts to solving this problem. | | | | in the scrap metal industry is said to be vital in |
| The organization has created the ISRI Theft Alert | | | | the fight against metal theft. The organization has |
| System for the use of law enforcement agencies. | | | | also worked to train police on identifying stolen |
| The system alerts recyclers in ISRI's contact list | | | | material, as well as encouraging businesses to |
| via email when informed of a material theft, not | | | | improve their record keeping and seller |
| only in the state where the theft occurred but in | | | | identification requirements. These steps help law |
| surrounding states as well. The service is available | | | | enforcement track down the thieves and the |
| for free to law enforcement agencies. | | | | metal they steal. The association is also a |
| As noted in the IRSI article, there can be difficulty | | | | member of the National Crime Prevention Council. |