The theft of catalytic converters from cars has been on the rise prior to now 12 months and now the Los Angeles Metropolis Council is proposing new stiffer penalties for thieves, together with a punishment for anybody in possession of a stolen converter.
Catalytic converter thieves might resist $1,000 in fines or as much as six months in jail underneath a Los Angeles Metropolis Council ordinance. Present penalties for stealing the automobile half embrace petty theft, which may be charged as a misdemeanor, or grand theft, which may be charged as a felony.
Police say it’s tough to carry suspected thieves accountable as a result of they can not all the time show that an individual in possession of a stolen automobile half had some function within the theft, in line with Los Angeles Metropolis Councilman John Lee who launched a draft ordinance Tuesday with the proposed new legislation.
The catalytic converter, an exhaust emission management machine usually discovered within the undercarriage of a automobile, accommodates valuable metals like rhodium, palladium and platinum. Catalytic converters can promote for wherever between $300 and $1,200 and value automobile homeowners hundreds in automobile repairs, in line with Lee’s movement.
The brand new guidelines would require an individual who’s in possession of an unattached catalytic converter to supply documentation proving they’re the lawful proprietor or in possession with the “proprietor’s written consent,” in line with the ordinance language. The draft goes on to say, “It isn’t required to show the catalytic converter was stolen to ascertain the possession just isn’t a ‘lawful possession.’”
Lee requested town legal professional’s workplace to draft an ordinance in April. Every catalytic converter present in an individual’s possession can be a separate violation, in line with the proposed ordinance language.
Lee stated the brand new guidelines would supply a further device to legislation enforcement.
“This crime is hurting our communities, it’s hurting our most weak households on this metropolis,” Lee stated as he launched the draft ordinance for a vote.
The council merchandise handed in an 8-4 vote with three members absent and can come again to the council on April 11 for a second and ultimate studying.
In 2022, there have been roughly 8,000 reported catalytic converter thefts throughout town, up from 972 reported in 2018, in line with Lee. The LAPD didn’t instantly reply to requests for knowledge on earlier years. However throughout the nation, authorities say thefts spiked in the course of the pandemic.
Council members Eunisses Hernandez, Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Nithya Raman and Hugo Soto-Martinez voted in opposition to the merchandise on Tuesday. Hernandez was involved about possession of a automobile half resulting in a tremendous or jail time.
“I’m not in settlement with creating extra alternatives to criminalize our communities,” Hernandez stated. “However I do welcome a chance to debate with the LAPD and different stakeholders on how we clear up this difficulty.”
Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, who voted for the ordinance, stated that autos in low-income communities are sometimes focused by thieves, leaving households with no automobile and sacked with the restore prices.
“When these thefts happen they’re left with nothing, with no choices oftentimes,” Rodriguez stated. “I do know it’s had an incredible influence on sure neighborhoods in my district and I do know that has been the case throughout town.”
