Kentucky Lawmaker Looks to Curb Copper Thefts

Kentucky Republican state Rep. Bill Farmer of Lexington is planning to push a legislative measure that would impose new rules regarding the sale of scrap copper to try to cut down on thefts.

Farmer said businesses and even churches have had damages totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars at the hands of people stealing electrical wiring in recent years.

He said that he intends to introduce legislation in January that would ban scrap metal dealers from buying copper from anyone other than a licensed contractor or authorized resale representative.

Farmer said tougher restrictions will be needed to stop copper thieves, and that taking away their ability to sell wiring would be a major deterrent.