A Lawrenceville man was recently arrested after the Georgia Bureau of Investigation determined that he sold numerous items stolen in Barrow County to an area salvage yard.
Richard Rowland, 50, has been charged with various "theft-related offenses" for allegedly stealing $56,000-worth of "high-capacity generator batteries" and then re-selling them to a local business specializing in scrap metal.
Deputy Director Rich Bahan with the GBI's Office of Public Affairs said in an email release Tuesday that state agents became involved in the case after being contacted by the Barrow County Sheriff's Office and Auburn Police Department in regards to the initial thefts.
"Their investigation led to submitting the name of Richard Rowland...through the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's Secondary Metals Recyclers Database," Bahan explained. "Information retrieved on Rowland found he had sold numerous stolen items to a local salvage yard."
The SMR Database, according to Bahan, was "established...in 2014 to maintain purchase transaction information from such businesses as scrap yards and recyclers."
"The database was setup in an effort to reduce theft of metals and assist law enforcement in such theft investigations," he continued.
Bahan said, specifically, the Database contained images of the stolen items that Rowland had sold, as well as Rowland's photo and a copy of his ID.
Authorities have not released the individual charges that Rowland faces in the case.
Bahan noted that the SMR Database currently lists over 3,000,000 transaction as listed by 255 participating businesses.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2017/1/486271/gbi-barrow-co-authorities-arrest-man-in-stolen-scrap-metal-scheme