Copper Permits Now Required

The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office is issuing permits for residents who want to sale copper or catalytic converters to scrap metal dealers. A new state law that went into effect Aug. 17 requires anyone selling copper to get a free permit from their local sheriff’s office.

Cooper thefts have been pervasive in the last few years, with thieves stripping or outright stealing air conditioning units or other easy-to-access copper wiring and then selling it to scrap dealers.

Earlier this month, Phillip David Tinskey of Ladson after allegedly breaking into a Berkeley Electric substation on College Park Road and trying to steal copper wiring from a high-voltage line.

The new permit isn’t the only hurdle for thieves. Scrap dealers will also have to have a permit and won’t be able to pay cash for sales, creating a money trail that law enforcement can follow, if necessary.

To get further information or to obtain a permit, as required by the new law, contact Sgt. Franklin Rivers at the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office Monday through Friday between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM at 843-719-4871.