Catalytic Converter Thieves Confronted with Strict New California Regulation

Governor Gavin Newsom of California at present signed into impact a legislation that can impose strict penalties on individuals who illegally purchase and promote catalytic converters. The anti-pollution gadgets are a frequent goal for saw-and-grab thieves, with greater than 18,026 reported stolen in California alone in 2021. The Los Angeles Instances reported that the brand new guidelines originated with a pair of payments, one within the California State Senate and one within the state’s Meeting. The laws attaches a $1000 nice to a primary conviction and $2000 for a second. The legislation would permit the extra penalty of a short lived suspension from working as a recycler. Among the many information required shall be a written settlement with the vendor, information of the quantity paid and variety of catalytic converters bought, and descriptive info equivalent to distinctive ID numbers or VINs etched into the components. Recyclers would want to maintain the information for at the least two years.

As Automobile and Driver reported earlier this yr, well-liked automobile fashions are probably the most frequent targets of catalytic converter theft, together with the Chevrolet Silverado and Ford F-series pickups, the Honda Accord and CR-V, and the Toyota Camry and Prius. The State Farm insurance coverage firm reported in mid-2021 that catalytic converters theft grew virtually 293 p.c nationwide in the course of the yr after making an preliminary leap because the COVID-19 pandemic obtained underway. The insurer gave the number-one rating to California, the place greater than 30 p.c of State Farm insurance coverage claims for the thefts originated in 2021. Texas, Minnesota, Washington, and Illinois rounded out the highest 5, however the issue is nationwide.

Gov. Newsom appeared on video by way of social media at present, trumpeting the brand new safety and explaining to Californians {that a} catalytic converter is “a part of that exhaust system in your automobile, and it is stuffed with priceless supplies that thieves can resell.” Beneath the brand new pair of legal guidelines, solely licensed resellers with detailed information shall be allowed to purchase and promote catalytic converters.

After all, there’ll at all times be unscrupulous consumers and sellers already determining a means across the laws, however different states shall be prone to watch the state of affairs in California with curiosity and probably go their very own stricter legal guidelines. As of this summer time, the NICB mentioned, greater than 150 items of laws had been already within the works across the U.S.

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