Police have determined that the explosion that destroyed a former downtown restaurant on Aug. 22 was the result of a buildup of natural gas after a thief punctured a gas line while attempting to steal copper pipe.
The motivation behind attempted copper theft suggests there is a way for thieves to benefit financially by selling metal they steal, despite provincial laws adopted in 2012 in B.C. to try to prevent that.
Scrap metal buyers in B.C. are bound by the Metal Dealers and Recyclers Act, which requires all scrap dealers to register with the province.
Sellers of non-ferrous metal – aluminum, brass, copper, bronze, lead, magnesium, nickel and zinc - are required to show a valid driver’s licence or other B.C. identification and be able to explain where they obtained it when they bring metal to a dealer.
Dealers must record information about the seller and a description of the regulated metal. If the listed items in a dealer’s/recycler’s report match the description of a property reported stolen, the police must obtain a court order to see the recorded purchase information.
Cash payouts to metal sellers are to be capped at $50. Any amount greater than that must be paid by cheque to the seller.
Dealers/recyclers are not allowed to buy wiring that has been stripped of its insulation or casing material. They are also prohibited from buying metal that has identifying markings that indicate ownership by local authorities (such as a street sign) or a public utility that distributes electricity, telephone or cable TV services, unless the seller provides proof of ownership of that property.
The act calls for fines of up to $5,000 for individuals who sell metal illegally and dealers who contravene the law could be liable for fines up to $50,000 and/or suspension of their business licence.
More details of provincial act are available here.
