In article ,
says...

On Sun, 02 Sep 2012 18:20:15 -0700, Jon Danniken wrote:

(...)

" SB 570 created a new crime for ?Unlawfully Transporting Metal
Property? if a person transports metal property on a public highway or
on premises open to the public with the intent to deliver the metal
property to a scrap metal business and the person does not have a metal
transportation certificate in their possession. ?Unlawfully
Transporting Metal Property? is a Class C misdemeanor. "

http://cms.oregon.gov/osp/pages/meta...rtificate.aspx

I'm guessing OP is in a state with similar regulations.

OP here.

I'm not aware of any such for California. If the law does exist, it must
be *very* selectively enforced because we have donation centers generously
dotted throughout the area.

Hang on ..
[http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/.../ab_0201-0250/
ab_237_cfa_20090413_114346_asm_comm.html]

Huh. That'll be what I learned today.

Interesting. Big market in stolen kitchen grease in California?