Gov. Ted Kulongoski has signed a bill into law that requires scrap metal dealers to pay for their material with a check mailed to the seller’s home instead of cash on the spot.

The dealers would also have to keep a record of each transaction for a year, and notify police if they suspect metal is stolen.

Metal thieves, many seeking quick cash for drugs, have been ravaging Oregon for years, stealing everything from gutters and bleachers to sculptures and catalytic converters.

The legislation faced little opposition on its way to the governor’s desk. It was introduced after outrage at the theft of the statue of Sacagawea from Fort Clatsop.