(1) Whenever a law enforcement officer has reasonable cause to believe that certain items of regulated metals property in the possession of a secondary metals recycler have been stolen, the law enforcement officer may issue a hold notice to the secondary metals recycler.
(a) The hold notice shall be in writing, shall be delivered to the secondary metals recycler, shall specifically identify those items of regulated metals 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 section.
(b) Upon receipt of the notice issued in accordance with this section, the secondary metals recycler receiving the notice may not process or remove the items of regulated metals property identified in the notice, or any portion thereof, from the 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.
(2) No later than the expiration of the foregoing 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.
(a) The extended hold notice shall be in writing, shall be delivered to the secondary metals recycler, shall specifically identify those items of regulated metals 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 section.
(b) Upon receipt of the extended hold notice issued in accordance with this section, the secondary metals recycler receiving the extended hold notice may not process or remove the items of regulated metals property identified in the notice, or any portion thereof, from the place of business of the secondary metals recycler for 45 calendar days after receipt of the extended hold notice by the secondary metals recycler, unless sooner released by a law enforcement officer.
(3) At the expiration of the hold period or, if extended in accordance with this section, at the expiration of the extended hold period, the hold is automatically released and the secondary metals recycler may dispose of the regulated metals property unless other disposition has been ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction.
(4) This section provides a uniform statewide process and preempts municipal or county ordinances enacted after December 31, 2008, relating specifically to secondary metals recyclers holding such metals.
History.—s. 2, ch. 89-533; s. 1, ch. 90-192; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 2, ch. 2009-162.
Structure Florida Statutes
Title XXXIII - Regulation of Trade, Commerce, Investments, and Solicitations
Chapter 538 - Secondhand Dealers and Secondary Metals Recyclers
Part II - Secondary Metals Recyclers (Ss. 538.18-538.28)
538.19 - Records required; limitation of liability.
538.20 - Inspection of regulated metals property and records.
538.23 - Violations and penalties.
538.24 - Stolen regulated metals property; petition for return.