by KYW's Mike Dunn

A City Council committee told the Philadelphia Records Department on Wednesday to more thoroughly check property transfers -- because of the growing problem of what's called "property identity theft."

Councilmembers heard that, increasingly, homes are being transferred fraudulently -- with the rightful owner often learning of the theft only when he or she tries to sell.
   
Councilman Bill Greenlee (in file photo at right) asked records commissioner Joan Decker whether her office now checks the validity of a property transfer:

(Greenlee:)  "Is it true that there is no check to see that the name of the seller matches the name of the owner on record right now?"

(Decker:)  "Right now there is no check to do that."

Greenlee is sponsoring a bill forcing the Records Department to conduct that check. 
  
But Decker said that only the state can dictate what her office can legally do, not City Council.  Despite that warning, the bill was passed by the committee and sent to the full Council for action.