Police Serve Search Warrant at Recycling Center in Lakewood

The Lakewood Police Department along with other public agencies served a search warrant at WOTC Scrap Metal Repackaging Inc. in Lakewood on Feb. 13.

Officers began to note large amounts of business being conducted with subjects known to be involved in metal thefts and drug trafficking at 8129 Durango Street.

Below is the press release from the Lakewood Police Department. Patch will follow up with more details.

On February 13th, 2012 the Lakewood Police Department served a search warrant at WOTC Scrap Metal Repackaging Inc. in Lakewood located at 8129 Durango Street. The team serving the warrant included representatives from Lakewood Community Safety Resource Team, Washington State Dept. of Ecology, City of Lakewood Building Enforcement and Public Works, Puget Sound Energy, Tacoma Public Utilities, Pierce County Health Dept, and West Pierce Fire and Rescue. 

Several months ago, officers began to note that there was a very large amount of business being conducted at WOTC with subjects known to be involved in metal thefts and in drug trafficking.  It was also noted that there were large garbage bins full of what appeared to be functional aluminum ladders sitting outside the main building, apparently being taken in as recycling.

A review of RCW 19.290 by officers clarified what the laws are relating to receiving scrap metal. The laws are meant to discourage metal theft and recycling of stolen metal, but visits to the facility by uniformed officers showed that the laws were being routinely violated.

Officers watched as cash was paid out to customers beyond what the law allows. A walk through the facility with employees showed items in plain view that were either brand new or clearly not recycling.

There were other items that were functional and clearly not scrap metal. One visit resulted in an employee greeting the officer with the statement “I know why you are here” and he then proceeded to bring the officers over to a bin full of large aluminum cylinders that WOTC had just taken in and paid for. The employee was correct in assuming that they were stolen (serial numbers scratched off) and the rightful owners were contacted and recovered the property. 

The service of the search warrant resulted in the recovery of items that had been stolen from two different businesses. The items recovered included power transfer devices and cables that were still packaged up for shipping with the shipping labels still on them. There were many other items that were taken as evidence that were clearly not scrap metal, but taken in by WOTC for scrap.

The investigation continues with a review of documents that were seized during the service of the warrant.