Years of rising scrap metal theft has led the Alberta government to propose legislative changes to make tracing and prosecuting such crimes easier — and rural communities across southern Alberta could stand to benefit.
The proposed amendments to the Scrap Metal Dealers and Recyclers Identification Act, announced April 7, would improve transaction tracking and allow officers to issue violation tickets instead of relying solely on court summons for certain offences.
RCMP spokesman Cpl. Troy Savinkoff says copper wire and catalytic converter theft has steadily increased across the country, including in Alberta.
“Losses from copper wire theft, including damages to property, is well in excess of $10 million in the province annually,” he says.
Between 2021 and 2024, copper wire theft in Alberta jumped by 93 per cent, with the RCMP reporting an 88 per cent increase in cases over the same period.
Currently, precious metals such as copper are frequently targeted by criminals because they are difficult to trace and widely used — from wiring in homes and vehicles to large-scale industrial sites like pipelines, cellphone towers and power plants, Savinkoff says.
“Copper wire and other precious metals can be difficult to track, making them ideal targets for criminals to steal,” he says.
Their theft can have a large impact on the public, ranging from personal loss to public infrastructure damage. But identifying suspects remains a challenge.
“If it isn’t laser engraved, catching and charging copper wire thieves can be very difficult,” Savinkoff says.
“When a thief is found in possession of these stolen items, police are unable to prove to the courts that the items are in fact stolen. In order to charge someone for being in possession of stolen property, you need to identify who the victim is.
If the bill passes, the government plans to require the recording of the dollar value of the sale, the type and per-ounce price of the metal purchased.
In the case of catalytic converters, the seller would need to provide a vehicle identification number or proof of ownership, which would be entered into a database accessible to law enforcement.
“Putting trackable information like a VIN of a catalytic converter will make police more effective in our enforcement efforts,” Savinkoff says.
“When we find a catalytic converter and are able to link it to a victim, we will be able to charge suspects that are in possession of the stolen items.”
Improved sales reporting and better co-operation from scrap metal recyclers could also help, he says.
“It is important to recognize that at the apex of these thefts are recyclers that are paying thieves for the precious metals,” Savinkoff says. “We need to acknowledge that some of the recyclers may be complicit in this crime.”
He believes stronger legislation would allow police to work more closely with recyclers to track sales and target offenders.
For residents and businesses in southern Alberta, preventive steps remain key. Savinkoff suggests laser engraving valuable metals to make it easier to identify and return them if recovered, securing properties with fencing and lighting, installing monitored surveillance and reporting suspicious activity.
He also urges metal purchasers to be cautious about buying material from unknown or suspicious sellers, and to keep valuables stored securely.
The government’s proposed reforms are still under review. If passed, proponents believe they could mark a step forward in curbing scrap metal theft in rural Alberta.
Somya Lohia,
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
