Catalytic converter thieves could face up to $1,000 in fines or up to six months in jail under a Los Angeles City Council ordinance.
The theft of catalytic converters from automobiles has been on the rise in the past year and now the Los Angeles City Council is proposing new stiffer penalties for thieves, including a punishment for anyone in possession of a stolen converter.
The new rules would require a person who is in possession of an unattached catalytic converter to produce documentation proving they are the lawful owner or in possession with the “owner’s written consent,” according to the ordinance language. The draft goes on to say, “It is not required to prove the catalytic converter was stolen to establish the possession is not a ‘lawful possession.’”
In 2022, there were approximately 8,000 reported catalytic converter thefts across the city, up from 972 reported in 2018, according to Lee. The LAPD did not immediately respond to requests for data on previous years. But across the nation, authorities say thefts spiked during the pandemic.
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