TULSA -- The Tulsa City Council will discuss a potential ordinance to crack down on copper wire theft.
If passed, the ordinance will not allow scrap yards to buy copper wiring four-gauge or larger from someone without an exemption.
The wiring is commonly used in the city of Tulsa's street lights and cellular towers. It is also used by AEP and PSO, according to the ordinance.
Bruce Shive, production manager at Frailey's Recycling, said he does not see that large of wiring come through very often from someone other than a contractor.
"The individuals will probably be more of a red flag, especially if they had a large quantity," Shive said.
People licensed by the Construction Industries Board will still be able to sell theirs. The ordinance will restrict individuals from selling it.
Shive said they will crack down on it, because they do not play around when it comes to buying stolen material.
"You can tell," Shive said of people who try to sell him something stolen. "They've always got some kind of a story. You know just steer clear."
The ordinance, written by a Tulsa Police Officer, would also require the scrap yard to get a copy of the seller's government issued ID and take photos of the material they are buying.
Shive said they already take those steps. Plus, Frailey's Recycling has cameras that point at the scales they use to weigh the material.
"With the documentation we have, it would be easy to catch them," Shive said.
He is in agreement with the ordinance and thinks it could cut down on the theft, unless the sellers go outside of Tulsa with the copper wiring.
"If we have to do it, I think they all should do it," Shive said.
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