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ALDERMAN SAWYER CALLS FOR STRONGER REGULATIONS ON METAL YARDS
Responding to a spate of metal thefts from occupied homes in Chatham, Park Manor and Rodeland Heights Alderman Roderick T. Sawyer of the 6th Ward is calling for stronger regulations and penalties for metal yards in Chicago.  “We have residents fighting hard to maintain their homes and we cannot continue to be undermined by the unscrupulous business practices of a few bad actors,” Alderman Sawyer said.
Currently, scrap metal yards in the city of Chicago do not have to ask any questions before accepting delivery of scrap metal nor keep any records of who or what they pay.  There are already higher penalties for yards that accept property that obviously belongs to the city of Chicago.  Recently many of the older heavy mail box flaps have been stolen from the front of homes in the 6th Ward.  As a fixture on many classic Chicago homes these are difficult to replace leaving many homes with open holes in their bricks.  There have also been increased reports of back gates being removed.
“I just don’t think it’s too much to ask a business to be a little curious when someone claims to have just happened to find fifteen metal mailbox flaps,“ the Alderman continued.  “This is not a problem we can solve with police; we have to dry up the market.  The regulation of the pawn shop industry deters a great deal of certain thefts by removing the market for the casual thief; we should provide a similar deterrent when dealing with this industry.”