WOTC Scrap Metal Has Left Lakewood; Manager Faces Charges

On February 13^th, Officer Pete Johnson and 899CSRT served a search warrant on a metal scrapping business in Lakewood called WOTC Scrap Metal. Service of the search warrant resulted in the seizure of over 13,000 documents, numerous items of stolen property whose owners could be identified as well as numerous brand new metal items that were clearly not scrap, but still taken in as scrap metal.

There were many hours of follow-up by CSRT personnel to go over all 13,000 plus documents in an effort to determine if the laws pertaining to taking in scrap metal were followed. It was determined that virtually every document reviewed showed multiple violations for not documenting required information. All the reports were completed and the City issued a Notice and Order to revoke the business license and the case was filed with the Pierce County Prosecutor for charging. As of this week, the business has formally left Lakewood and the manager has been charged with multiple crimes.

- Lakewood City Manager Andrew Neiditz

(This was an item included in Neiditz' weekly report)