Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Metal Thieves Beware
Pikeville, Ky.— Pike County Judge/Executive Wayne T. Rutherford called together law enforcement and prosecutors on Monday, Sept. 16, to commend them for the progress they have made against metal thefts and unscrupulous junk dealers, and to discuss how to make more headway against the perpetrators of metal theft in the future.
In attendance were Pike County Sheriff Charles “Fuzzy” Keesee, Pike County Sheriff’s Deputy Melvin Sayers, Pike County Sheriff’s Detective Richard Ray, Pike County Attorney H. Keith Hall, Pike County Assistant Attorney Roger Varney, Kentucky Commonwealth Attorney Rick Bartley, Kentucky State Police Post 9 Captain Jeffrey Caudill, and Erin Fields, a law intern in the Commonwealth Attorney’s office.
“I’m glad we could all meet today to discuss this problem and I want to open the meeting by asking how the Fiscal Court can help. These thieves are robbing people all over the county,” said Judge Rutherford.
“It’s great that Judge Rutherford has brought us together. The public is upset. We got a tough job on our hands. All the tools to arrest and prosecute these thefts must be made available. And taken advantage of,” added Sheriff Keesee.
Bartley told attendees about House Bill 106, a new law that was passed this year by the Kentucky State legislature, which places harsher regulations and penalties on metal and catalytic converter theft. The bill, which was signed by the governor into law on April 11, creates a new section of KRS Chapter 433.
The law requires junkyards to keep a copy of the driver license and car tag of anyone who sells to them such items. Bartley said the law went into effect two months ago and his office has put Ms. Fields in charge of traveling to all the junkyards in Kentucky to distribute posters notifying metal sellers of the new law and the harsher penalties attached. He said Ms. Fields would also notify junkyard owners of the harsher penalties they now face.
Bartley advised Judge Rutherford that the law allows counties to pass additional regulations against metal theft, as long as the regulations do not weaken the state law. He also said his office planned to host county-wide training sessions for local law enforcement throughout the Commonwealth in recent months.
“Most junkyards are already cooperative (with law enforcement), but some require a warrant. But once they have been educated (about the new law) there won’t be any excuse (for non-compliance),” Bartley said.
Everyone in attendance agreed that the new law was a good step towards allowing law enforcement to more aggressively prosecute those who buy and sell stolen metal.
“Private and public property has been stolen by these low down thieves. And their spoils are being bought by certain junk dealers who are looking to make a quick buck. I think we are all here today to seek out a way to stop this metal theft,” said Hall.
Sheriff Keesee and Captain Caudill decided to coordinate more on investigating metal thefts.
“These metal thieves have stolen from the tax payers thousands of dollars. These are low-down predators. If possible, I want the Pike County Fiscal Court to pass laws under the general powers of the county to give our law enforcement agencies and prosecutors more to work with. Commonwealth Attorney Rick Bartley says KRS Ch. 433 now lets the county do that. County Attorney Howard Keith Hall and his staff will prepare county ordinances for the Fiscal Court to consider. There are good, honest, decent junkyard dealers, but there are bad apples, as always. We must look for a way to put them out of business,” Judge Rutherford said.
“The KSP and Sheriff are doing all we can. We need a way to put dishonest junk dealers out of business. I would like to see a county license put in place. I hope the KRS will let the Fiscal Court do this,” said Captain Caudill.
Judge Rutherford said the group will meet again in the near future, and will invite Tim Mosher, President and Chief Operating Officer of Kentucky Power, a company that has been hit hard by metal thefts. He said everyone who attended the past meeting is committed to lowering the number of these metal thefts, crimes which are aided by the dishonest junk dealers who purchase the stolen material.
In attendance were Pike County Sheriff Charles “Fuzzy” Keesee, Pike County Sheriff’s Deputy Melvin Sayers, Pike County Sheriff’s Detective Richard Ray, Pike County Attorney H. Keith Hall, Pike County Assistant Attorney Roger Varney, Kentucky Commonwealth Attorney Rick Bartley, Kentucky State Police Post 9 Captain Jeffrey Caudill, and Erin Fields, a law intern in the Commonwealth Attorney’s office.
“I’m glad we could all meet today to discuss this problem and I want to open the meeting by asking how the Fiscal Court can help. These thieves are robbing people all over the county,” said Judge Rutherford.
“It’s great that Judge Rutherford has brought us together. The public is upset. We got a tough job on our hands. All the tools to arrest and prosecute these thefts must be made available. And taken advantage of,” added Sheriff Keesee.
Bartley told attendees about House Bill 106, a new law that was passed this year by the Kentucky State legislature, which places harsher regulations and penalties on metal and catalytic converter theft. The bill, which was signed by the governor into law on April 11, creates a new section of KRS Chapter 433.
The law requires junkyards to keep a copy of the driver license and car tag of anyone who sells to them such items. Bartley said the law went into effect two months ago and his office has put Ms. Fields in charge of traveling to all the junkyards in Kentucky to distribute posters notifying metal sellers of the new law and the harsher penalties attached. He said Ms. Fields would also notify junkyard owners of the harsher penalties they now face.
Bartley advised Judge Rutherford that the law allows counties to pass additional regulations against metal theft, as long as the regulations do not weaken the state law. He also said his office planned to host county-wide training sessions for local law enforcement throughout the Commonwealth in recent months.
“Most junkyards are already cooperative (with law enforcement), but some require a warrant. But once they have been educated (about the new law) there won’t be any excuse (for non-compliance),” Bartley said.
Everyone in attendance agreed that the new law was a good step towards allowing law enforcement to more aggressively prosecute those who buy and sell stolen metal.
“Private and public property has been stolen by these low down thieves. And their spoils are being bought by certain junk dealers who are looking to make a quick buck. I think we are all here today to seek out a way to stop this metal theft,” said Hall.
Sheriff Keesee and Captain Caudill decided to coordinate more on investigating metal thefts.
“These metal thieves have stolen from the tax payers thousands of dollars. These are low-down predators. If possible, I want the Pike County Fiscal Court to pass laws under the general powers of the county to give our law enforcement agencies and prosecutors more to work with. Commonwealth Attorney Rick Bartley says KRS Ch. 433 now lets the county do that. County Attorney Howard Keith Hall and his staff will prepare county ordinances for the Fiscal Court to consider. There are good, honest, decent junkyard dealers, but there are bad apples, as always. We must look for a way to put them out of business,” Judge Rutherford said.
“The KSP and Sheriff are doing all we can. We need a way to put dishonest junk dealers out of business. I would like to see a county license put in place. I hope the KRS will let the Fiscal Court do this,” said Captain Caudill.
Judge Rutherford said the group will meet again in the near future, and will invite Tim Mosher, President and Chief Operating Officer of Kentucky Power, a company that has been hit hard by metal thefts. He said everyone who attended the past meeting is committed to lowering the number of these metal thefts, crimes which are aided by the dishonest junk dealers who purchase the stolen material.
# posted by Joe Kinzer @ 5:58 PM 
