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rapunzel
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City targets thieves, scrap yards to stem aluminum siding thefts
FLINT
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Sunday, April 02, 2006
By Robert Snell
rsnell@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6302
QUICK TAKE
How to stop thieves
Here are two suggestions Flint's East Side Business Association recently sent the city for thwarting aluminum siding thieves:
Have the city clerk issue permits for all siding removal, valid for three days, and restrict sale of siding to Flint salvage yards.
Require salvage yard owners to maintain a log of all purchases, obtain thumbprints of sellers, and collect permits and return them to the city clerk.
FLINT - The city has launched a crackdown on thieves who strip aluminum siding from homes and against the businesses that buy the metal.
More than 15 people - including two Tuesday - have been ticketed in recent weeks for violating Flint's ordinance governing scrap sales, and police conducted a sting at an unidentified scrap dealer near Western and Carpenter roads.
The crackdown comes a month after the East Side Business Association asked the city to enforce ordinances regulating sales of aluminum and copper, which are fetching premium prices and driving thieves to abandoned houses. The association's efforts were profiled in a Flint Journal article last month.
Residents, especially on the east side, are thrilled after seeing neighborhoods with abandoned houses picked nearly clean of aluminum siding and copper pipes - a blight afflicting communities from Washington to Georgia.
"I'm more concerned about that epidemic than I am the bird flu," said east side neighborhood activist Dale Scanlon. "I can see it. It deteriorates neighborhoods and looks like an epidemic."
Violators face up to 90 days in jail for the misdemeanor violation and a possible $500 fine - for now.
The police department and city attorney's office are talking about increasing the penalties, said Lt. T.P. Johnson.
"It won't be a slap on the wrist," he said. "Tougher jail time and ... the fines will be higher."
The crackdown and possible ordinance changes are a response to thefts growing in frequency as the metals hit near record high prices. A building boom in China is partly responsible for the increased interest.
City officials created an ordinance in 1988 that requires people to obtain a permit before removing siding and to show the permit before selling to scrap dealers.
Licensed dealers also must maintain records showing permit numbers and dates of purchase.
But residents say the rules aren't being followed.
"If they can stop salvage yards from taking the material and doing it the way they're supposed to do, with a permit, it would be problem solved," Scanlon said.
The arrests and possible ordinance changes please Don Lada, founder and chairman of the business association, which pushed for strict adherence to existing laws governing scrap sales.
"There has been progress," Lada said. "I just believe the system is working."
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The Eastside Business Association is voicing community concerns and the FPD and the City attorneys office are listening. This article does not mention that EBA started working on this over 6 months ago.
I give KUDOS to Cathy Dowd asst. City Attorney and our local community police officers for not only listening to community concerns but taking action!
We must all work together to find solutions and affect change!
This is only one of the issues the EBA is currently working on. Working in unison with the City and the Schools, a group of multi-faceted individuals that are representatives of many community organizations can make a positive difference in this city. |
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Sun Apr 02, 2006 11:43 pm |
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Ted Jankowski
F L I N T O I D
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Adam, Here is why Flint is not friendly to business!
quote:
Require salvage yard owners to maintain a log of all purchases, obtain thumbprints of sellers, and collect permits and return them to the city clerk.
quote:
"If they can stop salvage yards from taking the material and doing it the way they're supposed to do, with a permit, it would be problem solved," Scanlon said.
Because the Flint police refuse to do their job and do something about these criminals. The city goes after the businesses. It seems hypocritical to go after Junk yards if they are not going to go after pawnshops.
quote:
I give KUDOS to Cathy Dowd asst. City Attorney and our local community police officers for not only listening to community concerns but taking action!
HOW MANY
YEARS
HAVE WE BEEN COMPLAINING TO THE MAYOR AND POLICE ABOUT THIS!!! YEARS!! Stanley and Williamson!! Chasing those thieves away, video taping them to give to police who aren’t interested in the least, to catch these criminals. So now it finally get’s in the paper then magically someone decides we need to do something about it. But, instead of focusing on the Criminals, we go after the scrap yards! The city mandates more work for business, because police have failed to do heir job.
Target the thieves! But, ask the scrap yards for help! Don't mandate it!
So if I decide to remove the Aluminum siding from MY HOUSE and put up Vinyl Siding! I have to get permission from the City of Flint to do it. Talk about stepping on personal and private citizens rights. |
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Mon Apr 03, 2006 7:41 am |
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Adam
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I have heard scrap yards are a part of the problem. Dale said permits were already required. I think it would be crazy to lay all that paperwork on scrap yards. If people do not have a permit like they are supposed to then the scrap yards should not take the aluminum siding end of story.
Dale also said that the police have been doing some successful stings.
On the bright side at least we are getting on track. We should not have to wait 2 years for things to get done though. It better not take me two years to get some of our anti-business odinances off the books though our I will be going psycho at the council meetings. lol If I can not get a democratic council to care enough about poor people and jobs, crime and doing their job than perhaps I can find some Republicans to run for council that would. (Yes I'm getting a little frustrated and hostile)
Adam Ford |
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Mon Apr 03, 2006 10:30 am |
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Ted Jankowski
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
anti-business odinances off the books
requiring scrap yards to do police work and extra book keeping is "anti-business" plain and simple.
That ordinance should never have been passed. We should then have an ordinace for people pawning stuff at the pawn shop then. They should first go down to city hall and get a permit to pawn. I don't see the difference. |
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Mon Apr 03, 2006 11:16 am |
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Steve Myers
Site Admin
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| Successful stings? How hard is it to track a scumbag with a shopping cart full of siding? LOL |
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Mon Apr 03, 2006 1:23 pm |
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Ted Jankowski
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
Steve Myers schreef:
Successful stings? How hard is it to track a scumbag with a shopping cart full of siding? LOL
LOL, TOO TRUE, I agree whole heartily. Missed opportunities over the last 5 years. (Probably better put as Ignored and Unconcerned.)
Many 911 calls from citizens reporting the theft while it was going on. Over two hours later when the thieves finally were finished. The police still hadn't and never did show up. 9after they finished off a six pack and had a bar-b-que while stealing the siding.
Video Tape of the crimes in progress. At least 5 cases I know of where Citizens video taped it and attempted to turn it over to police. They either refused or reluctantly accepted.
Citizens chasing off the criminals - has worked for a short time but they eventually return.
Citizens attempted to detain for Police. 911 told them they would be charged when police arrived, the average citizen cannot make a citizen arrest.
One guy caught them stealing it when he came home. He Hit the criminal while attempting to stop him, and was prosecuted for assault.
Police refuse to do anything unless they actually saw it taking place. Have to let them go even when they are pushing the shopping cart down the street full of siding. (Whether they had a permit or not wasn’t even the question) But, don’t be the business! Flint will penalize them!
Why are people moving away from flint by the thousands? |
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Mon Apr 03, 2006 2:16 pm |
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rapunzel
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They are now prosecuting thieves. It was brought to light that in the past complaints by citizens were not followed up on hence this whole endeavor.
Instead of being happy we finally woke someone up, all I hear is moaning.
This same ordinance applies to pawn shops!
I did say we are also working on other items. It takes too much time but it is a small start.
I won't go into all the politics involved in making a difference without causing anger and negative response.
Thanks for your support!
Peace |
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Mon Apr 03, 2006 7:36 pm |
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Ted Jankowski
F L I N T O I D
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Rapunzel, I'm thrilled they are finally going after these thieves. Only why do they constantly have to do things in a screwed up way. Instead of just following the hand feed evidence, that the community, begged police to take and act upon. They still want to over emphasis going after the scrap yards. They should be asking them for help in setting up stings. To catch these people. Instead the city threatens fines on these businesses!
That is my problem with the whole thing, is, that for some stupid reason, This city cannot do anything the right way. They always make it more difficult than it needs to be.
Criminal steals siding.
Citizens hand over evidence.
Scrap yards turn in thieves.
Police Arrest thieves.
Prosecutor Prosecute!
Just seems so simple. There is no need to threaten any business, just to get the police to do their jobs! Now, if we can just get the police to investigate Car theft, home invasion etc. The simpler things to solve. That one day don’t turn into the hardened criminals. Because of the years of inactive and ineffective law enforcement. |
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Mon Apr 03, 2006 9:22 pm |
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rapunzel
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The scrap yards were asked nicely to be aware of the law. They had a meeting with city officials prior to the stings. The focus was to be on thieves bringing in the aluminum. So Be IT...
There is much more to this that I only know second hand, suffice it to say they had a chance to play but did not choose to.
EBA has caught much flack from the next endeavor we are working on but we are adults and following procedure. We will not be bullied while showing care for our community and the children's safety.
When it becomes to difficult to proceed with tact. I will then provide you facts I am sure of and sign my name for your website.
Until then...Peace
Rapunzel |
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Mon Apr 03, 2006 11:30 pm |
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Ted Jankowski
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i am also responding to the Flint Journal Article. http://www.cityofflint.net/if_it_wasn't_so_easy!.htm
quote:
"They want it and they are paying some ungodly prices," said Charles Thompson, who owns Chuck's Recycling in Genesee Township.
He says he turns some siding away and requires driver's licenses from sellers, who are recorded on security cameras.
This is not uncommon. I was posting on mlive years ago saying that alls it would take is a phone call to any junk yard to find out who was bringing in the stolen siding. Police refused to follow up or do anything about it!
Focus on the CRIMINAL is all I'm saying. There is no need to create new ordinances that create more work and paperwork for city businesses, becuase police aren't willing to do thier job! |
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Tue Apr 04, 2006 6:57 am |
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