Copper thieves have been put on notice by the South Australian government, which today announced a crackdown on their costly and often dangerous crimes.

The proposed legislation targets scrap metal dealers, requiring them to be licensed and banning cash transactions.

The announcement follows increasing concerns about the impact of copper theft on construction sites, with the cost to the industry estimated at $70 million a year.

"The value of the copper that might be stolen is insignificant in terms of the actual cost of the damage that is done by the person who comes and tries to tear things apart – we are talking about hot water services, copper piping," Police Minister Blair Boyer said.

Under the new regulations, scrap metal dealers will also be required to maintain detailed records

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