Every owner, keeper or proprietor of a junk shop, junk store, salvage yard, scrap processor, junk cart or other vehicle or boat, or collector of or dealer in junk, salvage or other secondhand property, shall keep a separate book or register in which he or she shall enter the following information: name, address, age, driver's license number, if driver's license not available similar definite identification, of the person or persons from whom thirty-five (35) pounds or more of copper, copper alloy, aluminum or aluminum alloy utilized by persons, firms, corporations or municipal corporations engaged in the transmission and distribution of electric energy, or engaged in telephone, telegraph or other communications is purchased; license tag number of vehicle or conveyance in which delivered; the date and place of each purchase of such copper, copper alloy, aluminum or aluminum alloy; the description should include the weight of the materials purchased, including whether the same is in wire, cable, bars, rods, sheeting or tubing and, if any insulation is thereon, the names and addresses of the persons, groups of persons or corporations from whom seller purchased the materials. Such book or register shall be made available to any law enforcement official or the representatives of persons, firms, corporations or municipal corporations described above for inspection at any time. The purchaser of any such copper, copper alloy, aluminum or aluminum alloy shall hold the purchases separate and apart so that such materials shall be readily identifiable from all other purchases for a period of not less than ten (10) days from the date of purchase of such materials during which period the purchaser shall not change the form of the copper, copper alloy, aluminum or aluminum alloy and shall permit any law enforcement officer or the representatives of persons, firms, corporations or municipal corporations described above to make inspection of such materials during the said ten-day holding period; provided, however, that all such purchases made from persons, firms, corporations or municipal corporations who construct, operate, or maintain electric distribution and transmission, communications facilities or produce scrap copper or aluminum in their normal course of business or the sale of copper or aluminum material by one licensed junk dealer to another are not subject to said ten-day holding period; and there shall be required from such persons, firms, corporations or municipal corporations a bill of sale or other written evidence of title of such purchases. The purchaser shall also report in writing all purchases of such copper, copper alloy, aluminum or aluminum alloy to the sheriff of the county in which the purchases are made, if requested in writing by the sheriff, within forty-eight (48) hours after any such purchase is made. The report made to the sheriffs shall contain all of the information required to be maintained in the book or register provided for herein. The provisions of this section shall not apply to the sale or purchase of aluminum beverage cans which are obtained for recycling purposes.

Laws 1967, SB 161, c. 102, § 1, emerg. eff. April 24, 1967; Amended by Laws 1996, SB 1224, c. 89, § 1, eff. November 1, 1996.