Columbus Thwarting Theft with Twelvefold Expansion of Do-Not-Buy List
MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
May 8, 2012
For More Information:
John Ivanic, (614) 645-6798
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Columbus Thwarting Theft with Twelvefold Expansion of Do-Not-Buy List
Mayor Michael B. Coleman, City Councilmember Michelle M. Mills and numerous community partners announced a dynamic partnership among the Columbus Division of Police and Clerks of Court from around Central Ohio to combat property crimes by significantly expanding the Do Not Buy from Convicted Thieves List. The list is being increased to 12 times its current number: from 2,000 to more than 22,000 names. A convicted thief whose name appears on this list is prohibited from selling items to scrap yards and pawn shops. This expanded list will be distributed to scrap yards and pawn shops this week.
“We have a message for those who break into our automobiles, homes, businesses, churches and synagogues in order to sell their stolen goods to scrap yards and pawn shops,” Mayor Coleman said. “We are shutting you down today.”
The extended list has over twenty thousand names that include people convicted of theft and theft-related offenses over the past six years. The Columbus Division of Police will be obtaining the names of the convicted thieves from the Franklin County Municipal and Common Pleas Clerk of Courts in addition to the contiguous counties to Franklin. At present, the Municipal and Common Pleas Clerks of Court in Delaware and Licking counties have agreed to provide Columbus Police the names of convicted thieves in their respective counties. The list will be generated quarterly and provided to all scrap yards and pawn shops in an electronic format.
“The problem of scrap metal theft must be fought with communities, governmental agencies and businesses working together,” said Councilmember Mills, chair of the Public Safety and Judiciary Committee. “The expansion of the do-not-buy list will help scrap metal dealers continue to play a part in combating scrap metal theft in Central Ohio.”
Among those partnering with the city by using their databases to identify convicted thieves are: Franklin County Municipal Clerk Lori Tyack, Franklin County Common Pleas Court Maryellen O’Shaughnessy, Delaware County Municipal Clerk Cindy Dinovo, Licking County Municipal Clerk Marcia Phelps and Licking County Common Pleas Clerk Gary Walters. It is the hope of all parties to expand this initiative beyond Central Ohio to the entire state.
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