New WA Legislation Aims to Curb Copper Theft

The theft of copper wire has been a big problem in the Yakima valley for years. Many growers along with area businesses have suffered big losses from the theft. Much of the wire is sold to recyclers.

WILL A NEW STATE LAW MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

State lawmakers are taking action.
A new bill, H.B. 2213, would require scrap metal recyclers to photograph copper wire, retain it for ten days, and report to a searchable database, giving police authority to seize stolen wire.

READ MORE: KOHBERGER'S SISTER SPEAKS OUT 

STOPPING THE THEFT MEANS STOPPING POWER OUTAGES

Sponsored by Rep. Cindy Ryu, the bill hopes to curb costly thefts that disrupt power, phone, and internet service. It also gives incentives to recyclers who refuse to deal with stolen metal.

SO WHAT'S ON THE BOOKS NOW?

Under current state law, metal recyclers are required to obtain a copy of a photo ID and record the license plate number of the individual selling the scrap metal.

YAKIMA IS ONE OF MANY CITIES SUFFERING FROM THE THEFTS

Yakima County isn't alone. The theft of copper wire has hit everything from rural areas to big cities. In fact authorities say Washington leads the nation in incidents, impacting infrastructure from highway lights to fiber optic cables. So the best way to stop the thefts is to stop the demand through state recyclers. The newly proposed changes to the current law means that authorities can identify the metal as something that was stolen and confiscate it. That could kill demand from recyclers and stop many thefts around the state.