City council approves new rules for metal sales

  

HOUSTON -- County commissioners want to make it harder for thieves to sell stolen metal.

They approved a new regulation on scrap metal dealers yesterday. Starting January 1, dealers will have to take a picture of the seller, the seller's ID and everything that the dealer is buying.

"Whenever we adopt a regulation like this, my office, I don't know about the commissioners, get numerous emails about why don't you do this or this or this. This is a case where the legislature gave us the authority," said Harris County Judge Ed Emmett.

Hundreds of businesses and churches have become victims of metal theft in recent years. Habitat for Humanity says it has lost $47,000 to metal thieves in the past two years.

The City of Houston already has these type of rules in effect for metal sales. They were put in place roughly five years ago.

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