Five salvage yards have been charged following a business-licensing bylaw enforcement blitz, according to the City of London.
In a release, the city said the theft of valuable metals such as copper and palladium, which is found in catalytic converters, continues to be an issue.
“Bylaw regulations are in place for a reason. We need to address this criminal activity from a variety of fronts including eliminating the opportunity for a quick cash sale,” said Orest Katolyk, chief municipal law enforcement officer.
The city said it is working with London police to address the theft of valuable metals.
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Salvage yards are licensed by the City of London and are therefore subject to several regulations, which include verifying the identity of the seller and maintaining a log of products or goods purchased.
City of London Municipal Law Enforcement Services has charged five local salvage yards with accepting scrap metal without verifying identification, failing to keep transaction records and operating without a business licence.
“The London Police Service sees periodic increases in reports of metal theft, particularly of catalytic converters,” said Staff Sgt. Alex Krygsman, head of the London Police Service community policing section.
“The verification of identity and keeping of transaction records by businesses when someone is selling these types of goods is an important deterrent; if criminals can’t make money from a stolen item, they are much less likely to steal it.”
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