New York Senator Says Metal Sellers Should Prove Ownership

Sen. Charles Schumer is proposing legislation targeting thieves who strip and sell copper and other metal from homes and businesses.

The New York Democrat is due in Niagara Falls Thursday to push a bill he’s co-sponsoring that would require metal sellers to prove ownership. It would also require scrap yards to keep detailed records of what they buy.

The bill also would cap the amount buyers could pay at $100 and make it a federal crime to steal metal from critical infrastructure.

Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster, Police Chief Bryan DalPorto and victims of scrap metal theft are expected with Schumer at St. John de LaSalle church.