Submit a thumb print for scrapping metal??

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Submit a thumb print for scrapping metal??

Posted: 8/14/2011 12:39:27 AM EDT

No indication that you have to submit a thumb print before driving in and dumping the scrap. She said it was federal law, but seemed like bullshit to me, so I blew it off. Lady in the booth acted annoyed, but I already had my money, so I didn't care. Told her they know where I live if they have a problem with it.

They're fucking stupid if they think that will really curb copper theft.

Posted: 8/14/2011 1:13:15 AM EDT

[#1]

Florida law requires the seller to give up extensive personal
information including their name, photo, license plate number and
fingerprint.

Posted: 8/14/2011 1:23:38 AM EDT

[#2]

helps id people since so many people have fake ids for buying meth ingredients. thumbprint can aid police if stolen items are brought in under an alias. My roommate works for a local scrapyard and his boss said that the police come in several times a month looking for stolen items, two weeks ago a guy came in with a window air conditioner on his bicycle with three police officers following him, accusing him of theft. He had to ride with them to the lady's house to prove he hadn't stolen it. It is there to protect the average citizen, not inconvenience them.

Posted: 8/14/2011 1:25:34 AM EDT

[#3]

Its no different than any other law on the books trying to curb meth junkies. Thanks to the idiots in DC, you have to provide ID to buy cold medicine, allergy medicine, sell scrap metal, etc. Surely we shouldn't have any junkies in the first place since its illegal, and double-so if all the prime means of funding and materials are heavily restricted. Its the price you pay to live in a free society.

Posted: 8/14/2011 1:36:53 AM EDT

[#4]

yeah thats pretty fucking stupid. Cause its not like someone couldnt steal copper wire and then melt it down into bars or large copper dildos

Posted: 8/14/2011 1:40:05 AM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
yeah thats pretty fucking stupid. Cause its not like someone couldnt steal copper wire and then melt it down into bars or large copper dildos

Druggies have trouble stealing copper without killing themselves, melting and casting it is way above their pay grade.

Posted: 8/14/2011 1:41:51 AM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:

Quoted:

yeah thats pretty fucking stupid. Cause its not like someone couldnt steal copper wire and then melt it down into bars or large copper dildos

Druggies have trouble stealing copper without killing themselves, melting and casting it is way above their pay grade.

stranger things have happened LOL

Posted: 8/14/2011 5:33:17 AM EDT

[#7]

It's not really about druggies, although they may be part of the problem. It's more about guys ripping pipe, furnaces, water heaters, etc. out of vacant houses and others grabbing any piece of metal that is not secured. Scrap metal prices have been very good. A five gallon bucket of wire will bring $20 or so. A car battery is good for $8-10 and catalytic convertors are like gold. I never pass up a chunk of metal on the side of the road. The ID requirements are meant to be a deterent to theft and a means for LE to track stolen stuff.

Posted: 8/14/2011 5:44:05 AM EDT

[#8]

I don't think it's federal law, because I haven't ever had to give a thumb or fingerprint here.

But for anything other than aluminium cans they take down my DL number.

Posted: 8/14/2011 5:59:40 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:

It's not really about druggies, although they may be part of the problem. It's more about guys ripping pipe, furnaces, water heaters, etc. out of vacant houses and others grabbing any piece of metal that is not secured. Scrap metal prices have been very good. A five gallon bucket of wire will bring $20 or so. A car battery is good for $8-10 and catalytic convertors are like gold. I never pass up a chunk of metal on the side of the road. The ID requirements are meant to be a deterent to theft and a means for LE to track stolen stuff.

Good or bad, this is why.

Good if it's your property they recover.

Bad if you think it's another government intrusion / erosion of your right to remain anonymous.

Posted: 8/14/2011 6:04:57 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
I don't think it's federal law, because I haven't ever had to give a thumb or fingerprint here.

But for anything other than aluminium cans they take down my DL number.

I bring in a few hundred pounds of copper and yellow brass every two months. The guys know me but still take my DL number is all.

Posted: 8/14/2011 6:10:53 AM EDT

[#11]

Dropped off eighty-eight pounds of pulled copper wire the other day, all they wanted was a name to make the check out to.

Posted: 8/14/2011 6:14:12 AM EDT

[#12]

We are having a BIG problem around here with Copper Thieves. I really don't know what the answer is, but I think that we should be able to shoot copper thieves on sight.

Impeach Obama for the Good of the Hoods.

Posted: 8/14/2011 6:14:42 AM EDT

[#13]

For goodness sake another requirement of the War on Drugs?

How long before we put serial numbers on bullets, tagants in powder, and require thumbprints to buy either?

Posted: 8/14/2011 6:21:17 AM EDT

[#14]

Scrap yards are sending out 1099's to the people that scrap for a living. A local fellow we see
on several job sites got hit with a 40 thousand dollar 1099 last year, he thought he was making tax
free money.

Posted: 8/14/2011 6:21:35 AM EDT

[#15]

D/l or valid photo i.d required here as well.

Posted: 8/14/2011 6:26:12 AM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:

Quoted:

It's not really about druggies, although they may be part of the problem. It's more about guys ripping pipe, furnaces, water heaters, etc. out of vacant houses and others grabbing any piece of metal that is not secured. Scrap metal prices have been very good. A five gallon bucket of wire will bring $20 or so. A car battery is good for $8-10 and catalytic convertors are like gold. I never pass up a chunk of metal on the side of the road. The ID requirements are meant to be a deterent to theft and a means for LE to track stolen stuff.

Good or bad, this is why.

Good if it's your property they recover.

Bad if you think it's another government intrusion / erosion of your right to remain anonymous.

Serious question. How would one recovers stolen scrap metal. Its not like copper pipes have serial numbers on them. Can I just waltz into the station and claim 100# of copper because I had 100# stolen from a job site?

Posted: 8/14/2011 6:33:38 AM EDT

[#17]

If the scrap dealer knows you from prior business, it isn't a problem. But if you show up with 100s of pounds of fresh copper scrap, cut with hasty methods, the dealers on the up side will ask questions.

Reputable contractors don't have 100s of pounds of foot length, bright copper, they have inch pieces which are tarnished.

And if you show up with a few AC condensers, be sure to have your HVAC license handy. Either EPA or state. No license, no deal.

Posted: 8/14/2011 6:34:24 AM EDT

[#18]

Its funny that they try to claim its "federal" law. Just be honest with me, and I won't tell you to get bent. Are you supposed to be scared because she said it was a "federal law"???

Posted: 8/14/2011 6:41:13 AM EDT

[#19]

No thumb print in Texas, but they take photo id and make a copy every time

Posted: 8/14/2011 7:00:48 AM EDT

[#20]

But how can they track anything back to me when they don't even look in the back of my truck? She just took my word for what it was. Unless they are photographing the bed of your truck. But I still don't see how this will help. It's just like almost every WOD law, that only keeps the honest people honest, while eroding away their freedoms

Posted: 8/14/2011 7:04:46 AM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
Dropped off eighty-eight pounds of pulled copper wire the other day, all they wanted was a name to make the check out to.

State law in TX requires that they get a copy of your DL/ID.

And I have never heard of a scrap yard cutting checks, it has allways been a cash buisness.

Posted: 8/14/2011 7:10:19 AM EDT

[#22]

SC recently passed a new law. Of you transport more than 25 lbs of non ferrous metal, you need to call the sheriff ahead of time to get a permit number issued...and I think this is for each day. I am sure utilities get a break.

Posted: 8/14/2011 7:14:02 AM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:

Quoted:
It's not really about druggies, although they may be part of the problem. It's more about guys ripping pipe, furnaces, water heaters, etc. out of vacant houses and others grabbing any piece of metal that is not secured. Scrap metal prices have been very good. A five gallon bucket of wire will bring $20 or so. A car battery is good for $8-10 and catalytic convertors are like gold. I never pass up a chunk of metal on the side of the road. The ID requirements are meant to be a deterent to theft and a means for LE to track stolen stuff.

Good or bad, this is why.

Good if it's your property they recover.
Bad if you think it's another government intrusion / erosion of your right to remain anonymous.

Serious question. How would one recovers stolen scrap metal. Its not like copper pipes have serial numbers on them. Can I just waltz into the station and claim 100# of copper because I had 100# stolen from a job site?

More like, if the same person keeps showing up selling "scrap", you might have to consider where it is all coming from.

Plenty of indivduals have scrap, whether it's from remodeling, past projects etc.

But when one person shows up over and over again, you have to wonder where it is all coming from.

And yes, once you start looking at the scrap on person is bringing in vs the theft reports from that day, or the past 3 days, stuff will start matching up.

Posted: 8/14/2011 7:21:23 AM EDT

[#24]

I wouldn't mind at all. Thieves piss me off!
At work we have had thousands of dollars of platinum thermocouples stolen in minutes, don't know if the people doing it were ever caught.
Police were investigating but I suspect the metal was sent to Mexico for a family member to cash in.
Here in Phoenix they have been stealing A/C units off school roofs at night and demolishing empty homes for copper wire in the walls. Tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage for a few bucks toward their meth.

Posted: 8/14/2011 7:46:59 AM EDT

[#25]

I work for an electrical contractor. When I roll up with a couple tons of stripped copper, the only thing they ask is if they need to hit the bank to pay me. They do get my company name and license plate # off my truck, but thats it.

Posted: 8/14/2011 7:51:55 AM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:

No indication that you have to submit a thumb print before driving in and dumping the scrap. She said it was federal law, but seemed like bullshit to me, so I blew it off. Lady in the booth acted annoyed, but I already had my money, so I didn't care. Told her they know where I live if they have a problem with it.
They're fucking stupid if they think that will really curb copper theft.

If it is law in black & white where you live you will be getting either a knock on your door or a warrant issued for your arrest.

I just read a story like this somewhere over the weekend, the guy did exactly what you did and drove off, the police arrested him that night , his bail was like 25 K too

Posted: 8/14/2011 7:52:34 AM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:

If the scrap dealer knows you from prior business, it isn't a problem. But if you show up with 100s of pounds of fresh copper scrap, cut with hasty methods, the dealers on the up side will ask questions.

Reputable contractors don't have 100s of pounds of foot length, bright copper, they have inch pieces which are tarnished.

And if you show up with a few AC condensers, be sure to have your HVAC license handy. Either EPA or state. No license, no deal.

Not true. We just took in almost 1800 pounds of stripped 500 mcm, cut into 3 foot lengths, just last week. All bright and shiny.

Posted: 8/14/2011 7:53:19 AM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:

Quoted:

yeah thats pretty fucking stupid. Cause its not like someone couldnt steal copper wire and then melt it down into bars or large copper dildos

Druggies have trouble stealing copper without killing themselves, melting and casting it is way above their pay grade.

Yep

Posted: 8/14/2011 7:58:25 AM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:
Florida law requires the seller to give up extensive personal information including their name, photo, license plate number and fingerprint.

Scrapyards were equated with pawn shops. People selling selling their goods have to provide id, thumprint and sign an affidavit stating that they own the property. That is b/c these idiots run around in the middle of the night and steal everything that is not bolted down and sometimes is bolted down. It is crazy down here.

Posted: 8/14/2011 8:01:41 AM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:

Quoted:
It's not really about druggies, although they may be part of the problem. It's more about guys ripping pipe, furnaces, water heaters, etc. out of vacant houses and others grabbing any piece of metal that is not secured. Scrap metal prices have been very good. A five gallon bucket of wire will bring $20 or so. A car battery is good for $8-10 and catalytic convertors are like gold. I never pass up a chunk of metal on the side of the road. The ID requirements are meant to be a deterent to theft and a means for LE to track stolen stuff.

Good or bad, this is why.

Good if it's your property they recover.
Bad if you think it's another government intrusion / erosion of your right to remain anonymous.

Serious question. How would one recovers stolen scrap metal. Its not like copper pipes have serial numbers on them. Can I just waltz into the station and claim 100# of copper because I had 100# stolen from a job site?

We had a rash of stolen backflow valves (made of brass), they have serial numbers on each one. Plus, you think the scrapyard might notice when someone comes in with a few dozen of these things and there are articles in the paper about them being stolen. Add on top of that, a security guard had his head beat in a few weeks ago when he stumbled upon some these scrappers stealing the backflow valves. I'm not sure the security guard survived. Other things they are taking are AC units, copper wire from empty houses (not necessarily abandonned either), bails of cardboard, storm shutters. It just don't stop, especially with no jobs out there.

Posted: 8/14/2011 8:02:43 AM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:

But how can they track anything back to me when they don't even look in the back of my truck? She just took my word for what it was. Unless they are photographing the bed of your truck. But I still don't see how this will help. It's just like almost every WOD law, that only keeps the honest people honest, while eroding away their freedoms

I don't think your problem is in what you brought in I think you might have some trouble because you blew off the thumb print.

If they beef you to the local police you could get into trouble, just saying?

Even theft, you never completed the terms of sale they require as in putting down your thumb print because you already had the money in hand, her fault.

At the least they will make you do it next time and they won't hand you the money until you do.

I wonder what would have happened if they asked you to put your thumb print down before she handed you the money?

Posted: 8/14/2011 8:08:23 AM EDT

[#32]

Meh, nothing a small piece of sandpaper can't foil.

Posted: 8/14/2011 8:09:30 AM EDT

[#33]

Quoted:
SC recently passed a new law. Of you transport more than 25 lbs of non ferrous metal, you need to call the sheriff ahead of time to get a permit number issued...and I think this is for each day. I am sure utilities get a break.

I saw that on the news here also, but the way it sounded its a yearly 'license' and its free, they just want your personal info, give you the license and your good for a year. It's actually a pretty good solution imo. dosen't cost anything extra and probally cut theft at least in half. Still lots of guys that will still steal and just get a permit or use thier buddies permit to turn it in, but at least it's semi trackable if they come across stolen stuff like 80 AC condencers with a rash of roberies one town over or something.

Posted: 8/14/2011 9:30:37 AM EDT

[#34]

Quoted:

Quoted:
No indication that you have to submit a thumb print before driving in and dumping the scrap. She said it was federal law, but seemed like bullshit to me, so I blew it off. Lady in the booth acted annoyed, but I already had my money, so I didn't care. Told her they know where I live if they have a problem with it.

They're fucking stupid if they think that will really curb copper theft.

If it is law in black & white where you live you will be getting either a knock on your door or a warrant issued for your arrest.
I just read a story like this somewhere over the weekend, the guy did exactly what you did and drove off, the police arrested him that night , his bail was like 25 K too

Mr. Nanny state here.

This happened back in late May. Another thread on here reminded me of it. No knocks on the door and my dog is still alive.

Let them come for me. The best lawyer in the state is my dad's best friend. I'd probably make out with a settlement since they aren't upfront with all the requirements before completing the transaction.

$30 isn't worth giving my print out.

Posted: 8/14/2011 9:38:13 AM EDT

[#35]

Quoted:

Quoted:
But how can they track anything back to me when they don't even look in the back of my truck? She just took my word for what it was. Unless they are photographing the bed of your truck. But I still don't see how this will help. It's just like almost every WOD law, that only keeps the honest people honest, while eroding away their freedoms

I don't think your problem is in what you brought in I think you might have some trouble because you blew off the thumb print.
If they beef you to the local police you could get into trouble, just saying?
Even theft, you never completed the terms of sale they require as in putting down your thumb print because you already had the money in hand, her fault.
At the least they will make you do it next time and they won't hand you the money until you do.

I wonder what would have happened if they asked you to put your thumb print down before she handed you the money?

It was for $30. I would have told her to keep it since I wasn't giving it out.

If it would have been for more money, I would have tried giving her an incomplete print and if that didn't work, I would have threatened to turn around and go pick my scraps back up.

Pretty sure they wouldn't think the issue was worth me holding their scale up and pissing off all the trucks waiting behind me. So I would either get the money or get my scrap back, their choice.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Submit a thumb print for scrapping metal??

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