The Sacramento Police Department has seen an increase in metal theft throughout our region. This has caused an overall negative effect on our city, local businesses, and the community. Our area has been plagued with light outages on city streets and in local parks prompting unnecessary costs to the city, and indirectly, to the citizens in these tough budget times.

The city’s response to tackle this growing problem has included community awareness, target hardening, increased enforcement efforts on the copper thieves, and compliance checks into the recycling businesses buying the metals.  

To combat metal theft, the Sacramento Police Department has partnered with the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, California Department of Insurance Fraud, Department of Measurement Standards, Department of Toxic Substance Control, and the Sacramento County Environmental Management Division. The Sacramento Police Department is also working in conjunction with the Community Development Department to launch a reward program encouraging the public to assist in reporting copper theft and illegal copper recycling.

In January, 2012, the Sacramento Police Department began an undercover investigation into area recycling centers.  During the investigation, officers found several locations that were not in compliance with the law.  Violations included everything from recyclers not requiring ID from customers, to paying cash on the spot for stolen metals.

On April 4, 2012, detectives from the Sacramento Police Department served arrest and search warrants on two metal recycling centers inside our city. The warrants yielded a total of six arrests.

Our goal is to have scrap metal dealers comply with state laws thus ending the cycle which enables thieves to sell stolen property.