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Copper thefts prompt ordinance update

November 02, 2006|Lisa King

The increasing cost of precious metals has made copper a popular target for thieves, according to Nicholasville police.

As a result, the City of Nicholasville is trying to make it harder for thieves to sell any copper they have acquired through a five finger discount.

Nicholasville has had an ordinance in place since 1981 concerning the procedure that sellers and purchasers of precious metals must abide by, but recently, the city has updated its ordinance to include copper as a precious metal.

Nicholasville Police Chief Barry Waldrop said that the change is due to the recent outbreak of thefts of copper.

"Prices of precious metals have gone sky-high, and we've had thefts really picking up as a result," he said. "We've had some problems with people taking the copper wiring from air-conditioning units and pipes and other things outside businesses, because cooper is more valuable now."

Nicholasville City Clerk Roberta Warren said the ordinance may be viewed at city hall or online at www.nicholasville.org.

The ordinance states that anyone purchasing second-hand precious metals, which are specified as gold, silver, platinum, copper and aluminum, must get two phone numbers and two forms of identification from the seller. Other required information is quite detailed; they must also obtain the following information from the seller: name, address, date of birth, age, hair color, eye color, race, sex, height, weight, build, general appearance, distinguishing marks, and a legible thumb print. The dealer must then get them to fill out a form supplied by the NPD, which they must turn back in to police by 11 a.m. on the next business day after the transaction. In addition, dealers must keep precious metals in the manner in which they were brought in for a period of 12 days so that they can be inspected by the police if the need arises.

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