The Connecticut Police Chiefs Association is sending a copy of the legislation to departments across the state.
"There's a mess out there due to the high price of the metals. There's an flourishing underground economy," said West Hartford Police Chief James J. Strillacci, co-chairman of the CPCA's legislative committee.
Strillacci said a family was recently awoken at 2 a.m. by a thief yanking off copper downspouts from their home. Police found the man's car parked a block away, the back seat filled with gutters.
"These crooks are brazen," he said. "They're stealing things that are pretty obviously hot."
The law also requires scrap metal dealers to notify police if someone tries to sell them a historical artifact, such as a cannon ball or a lamp from a municipal park. It also prevents dealers from buying stainless steel or aluminum alloy beer kegs or other beverage kegs if they are marked by the owner.
----
Click here for more New York and Tri-State News
