Tough new provincial laws to stop metal theft in B.C. take effect Monday.
The rules seem to put the onus on scrap dealers.
Those hoping to sell regulated metals will need to have proper identification, and the scrap dealers and recyclers who buy the material will now need to keep a log and share purchase details with local police.
Should an item match the description of stolen goods, police can seek a court order for more information.
If dealers don’t comply, they could face fines of up to $ 100,000.
The government says high scrap prices have tempted thieves to snatch tens of millions of dollars worth of material from utilities such as Telus and BC Hydro.
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