Section 10-1-356. Hold on regulated metal property believed to be stolen; notice; release of hold

   (a) Whenever a law enforcement officer has reasonable cause to believe that any item of regulated metal property in the possession of a secondary metals recycler has been stolen, the law enforcement officer may issue a hold notice to the secondary metals recycler. The hold notice shall be in writing, shall be delivered to the secondary metals recycler, shall specifically identify those items of regulated metal property that are believed to have been stolen and that are subject to the notice, and shall inform the secondary metals recycler of the information contained in this Code section. Upon receipt of the notice issued in accordance with this Code section, the secondary metals recycler receiving the notice shall not process or remove the items of regulated metal property identified in the notice, or any portion thereof, from the premises of or place of business of the secondary metals recycler for 15 calendar days after receipt of the notice by the secondary metals recycler, unless sooner released by a law enforcement officer.

(b) No later than the expiration of the 15 day period, a law enforcement officer may issue a second hold notice to the secondary metals recycler, which shall be an extended hold notice. The extended hold notice shall be in writing, shall be delivered to the secondary metals recycler, shall specifically identify those items of regulated metal property that are believed to have been stolen and that are subject to the extended hold notice, and shall inform the secondary metals recycler of the information contained in this Code section. Upon receipt of the extended hold notice issued in accordance with this Code section, the secondary metals recycler receiving the extended hold notice shall not process or remove the items of regulated metal property identified in the notice, or any portion thereof, from the premises of or place of business of the secondary metals recycler for 30 calendar days after receipt of the extended hold notice by the secondary metals recycler, unless sooner released by a law enforcement officer.

(c) At the expiration of the hold period or, if extended in accordance with this Code section, at the expiration of the extended hold period, the hold is automatically released and the secondary metals recycler may dispose of the regulated metal property unless other disposition has been ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Code 1981, § 10-1-353, enacted by Ga. L. 1992, p. 2452, § 1; Code 1981, § 10-1-356, as redesignated by Ga. L. 2012, p. 112, § 1-1/HB 872.