ATLANTA- Yesterday afternoon Representative Sean Jerguson (R- Cherokee) and other members of the Metro Atlanta Stop Metal Theft Coalition toured the Newell Recycling Plant in East Point, Georgia. After the tour, the group held a press conference to draw attention to the fast-growing problem of metal theft.
“The theft of recyclable metals is becoming an increasingly dangerous problem for our communities,” said Rep. Jerguson. “For this reason, I was pleased to support legislation in 2007 that attacks the problem of metal theft by stiffening the felony penalties for those trafficking in stolen metals.”
The Metro Atlanta Stop Metal Theft Coalition will combine the resources of law enforcement, utilities, governments, and metal recyclers to crack down on the fast-growing crime of theft of recyclable metals. The new task force is modeled after the Macon-Middle Georgia Theft Committee, which was formed in November 2006, and has received national attention for its success in driving down the number of metal theft incidents.
For more information, go to www.stopmetalthefts.com to research the issue.
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