A new California law means catalytic converter thieves could face harsher penalties starting in 2024. Assembly Bill 641 was introduced by California state Rep. Vince Fong to help law enforcement agencies combat rising incidents of catalytic converter thefts seen happening across the state. While small, catalytic converters are expensive and crucial to operating automobiles.Officials say they can be sold for up to hundreds of dollars each, making it an easy option for potential thieves looking to make quick cash. Under the new law, thieves could face misdemeanor charges and up to $1,000 in penalties per offense. Anyone caught with nine or more stolen catalytic converters could be charged with illegal automobile dismantling unless they can prove they have a license to do so. Modesto Police Department officials say residents in the 209 area are no strangers to falling victim. Lt. Kalani Souza says roughly 100 catalytic converter thefts have been reported in the department so far this year. He says that while there could be more unreported cases, this number is a decrease from what they saw last year. Souza says the number of reported incidents increased dramatically during 2021 and 2022. “That was a lot of the time when the prosecutions weren’t going through, just because of COVID and everything else that was going on, so we did see an influx,” Souza said. Jeremy Brown owns Mitchell Muffler in Modesto. His business partly specializes in repairing vehicles that have had catalytic converters stolen. Brown says he’s observed an increase in catalytic converter thefts during the last 5 years from his customers. He says that last year, anywhere between 30 and 50 customers would come in each month for those issues. “We try and prevent it. We put rebar on the catalytic converters when they are stolen, and we are replacing,” Brown said. Catalytic converters can cost between $2,500 to $4,000 to replace, according to Brown.Although it may be good to have that many customers in for business, Brown says that for him, it comes with guilt. “We feel the pain too,” Brown said. “I have a hard problem as an owner charging somebody full price for something when it should be going towards presents, towards food, rent, whatever, not in somebody else’s pocket as far as them stealing it and keeping the money.”But Brown says he has also seen a decrease in these thefts so far this year. “I think it’s the price of the market dropping because now they’re stealing them and when they go to resell them, they’re worth half the price, or a quarter of the price that they were last year,” Brown said. Brown says not every victim can get their auto insurance to cover the repair costs. Souza says the hardest part of taking down reports is seeing the people who are impacted and the long-term consequences they can sometimes face including high costs and having to miss work because of the lack of transportation. But Souza is hopeful the new law will decrease the number of incidents. “It’s definitely going to be a huge help to us,” Souza said. “What that does is really gives us a new avenue to combat the people that are purchasing the illegal items and then turning around and reselling them.”The new law is set to take effect on Jan. 1. Brown says he hopes thieves will start thinking twice.“People need to be held more accountable for the thefts and for their actions,” Brown said.
A new California law means catalytic converter thieves could face harsher penalties starting in 2024.
Assembly Bill 641 was introduced by California state Rep. Vince Fong to help law enforcement agencies combat rising incidents of catalytic converter thefts seen happening across the state.
While small, catalytic converters are expensive and crucial to operating automobiles.
Officials say they can be sold for up to hundreds of dollars each, making it an easy option for potential thieves looking to make quick cash.
Under the new law, thieves could face misdemeanor charges and up to $1,000 in penalties per offense.
Anyone caught with nine or more stolen catalytic converters could be charged with illegal automobile dismantling unless they can prove they have a license to do so.
Modesto Police Department officials say residents in the 209 area are no strangers to falling victim.
Lt. Kalani Souza says roughly 100 catalytic converter thefts have been reported in the department so far this year. He says that while there could be more unreported cases, this number is a decrease from what they saw last year.
Souza says the number of reported incidents increased dramatically during 2021 and 2022.
“That was a lot of the time when the prosecutions weren’t going through, just because of COVID and everything else that was going on, so we did see an influx,” Souza said.
Jeremy Brown owns Mitchell Muffler in Modesto. His business partly specializes in repairing vehicles that have had catalytic converters stolen.
Brown says he’s observed an increase in catalytic converter thefts during the last 5 years from his customers. He says that last year, anywhere between 30 and 50 customers would come in each month for those issues.
“We try and prevent it. We put rebar on the catalytic converters when they are stolen, and we are replacing,” Brown said.
Catalytic converters can cost between $2,500 to $4,000 to replace, according to Brown.
Although it may be good to have that many customers in for business, Brown says that for him, it comes with guilt.
“We feel the pain too,” Brown said. “I have a hard problem as an owner charging somebody full price for something when it should be going towards presents, towards food, rent, whatever, not in somebody else’s pocket as far as them stealing it and keeping the money.”
But Brown says he has also seen a decrease in these thefts so far this year.
“I think it’s the price of the market dropping because now they’re stealing them and when they go to resell them, they’re worth half the price, or a quarter of the price that they were last year,” Brown said.
Brown says not every victim can get their auto insurance to cover the repair costs.
Souza says the hardest part of taking down reports is seeing the people who are impacted and the long-term consequences they can sometimes face including high costs and having to miss work because of the lack of transportation.
But Souza is hopeful the new law will decrease the number of incidents.
“It’s definitely going to be a huge help to us,” Souza said. “What that does is really gives us a new avenue to combat the people that are purchasing the illegal items and then turning around and reselling them.”
The new law is set to take effect on Jan. 1. Brown says he hopes thieves will start thinking twice.
“People need to be held more accountable for the thefts and for their actions,” Brown said.
Based in New York, Stephen Freeman is a Senior Editor at Trending Insurance News. Previously he has worked for Forbes and The Huffington Post. Steven is a graduate of Risk Management at the University of New York.