Raleigh Metal Recycling, a metal recycling company headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., has implemented technology designed to assist law enforcement in solving metal theft cases. 

 

“After discussions with city and county law enforcement, we knew we had to help,” Gregory Brown, CEO of Raleigh Metal Recycling, says of metals theft. “We studied various technologies used in many industries and reviewed new technologies being used in Detroit where we have another company.”

 

Brown says the genesis of the project was the productivity that was achieved by installing an ATM, which replaced a cashier. “We learned that cash withdrawn from a cash draw is not traceable, and with universal access to computers, check fraud has become a huge crime. From this analysis, we made the decision to invest in a comprehensive solution used in today's banking industry."

 

The key component of the anti-theft system is the NCR ATMs that take and store digital photos of scrap sellers collecting their money. Additional photos of the seller, the material sold and an electronic scan of the seller's driver's license are then electronically linked to the ATM photos. One electronic file links all data about the seller to the metal sold.

 

"We are determined to do whatever we can to solve and reduce the frequency of these crimes,” Brown says. “Recycling grows the economy efficiently while creating jobs, but this must not be at the expense of theft.”