**PRESS RELEASE**
COUNCILMEMBER BLUMENFIELD SUPPORTS LEGISLATION TO
COMBAT CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFT
With catalytic converter theft on the rise, Blumenfield calls for support for federal and state bills aimed at curbing theft
Los Angeles, CA – This week, Councilmmeber Bob Blumenfield introduced two resolutions supporting key federal and state legislation that will help address the surge of catalytic converter theft. An important car part that helps reduce emissions, catalytic converters have become a valuable commodity to thieves due to the increased black market value of the metals they contain. This has left hundreds of thousands of people throughout the country without a car, for often months, and with a hefty mechanic bill.
“Rampant catalytic converter theft has impacted every community in Los Angeles and continues to plague our entire country- more must be done to combat this growing problem,” said Councilmember Blumenfield. “This isn't just a law enforcement problem- we need some laws to change so we can better deter the theft of catalytic converters and properly prosecute the perpetrators.
Often in the middle of the night, this sort of theft can take mere minutes as criminals cut under an engine before moving to the next target. These stolen parts can be sold for a few hundred dollars but can cost the victims thousands of dollars in out of pocket expenses. As hard working Angelenos continue to make car and insurance payments, they often have to wait months for their catalytic converters to be replaced due to a nation-wide parts shortage.
While California residents make up about 12% of the population in the United States, it accounts for about 37% of the nation’s catalytic converter theft; and according to CalMatters, 1,600 catalytic converters are stolen every month in California and there has been a vast increase during the last three years; and The National Insurance Crime Bureau estimated catalytic converter theft has skyrocketed by 1,215% between 2019 and 2022. This increase in thefts correlated with the rising black market prices of the precious metals found in catalytic converters; the New York Times confirmed that the price of an ounce of palladium jumped from $500 in 2016 to between $2,000-2,500 in 2021; and rhodium jumped 3,000% from $640 an ounce to over $21,900- 12 times the price of gold.
The two bills that Blumenfield is calling on the City to support are The Preventing Auto Recycling Thefts (PART) Act (introduced in the United States Senate in 2022) and California’s SB 55 (introduced by Senator Umberg). The PART Act would require new vehicles to have a Vehicle Identification number (VIN) stamped onto the converter to allow law enforcement officers to link stolen parts to the vehicle from which they originate, improve recording keeping standards for purchases of used catalytic converters and help establish enforceability of laws against theft by codifying these crimes as a criminal offense. And SB 55 would prohibit the sale of new or used vehicles unless the vehicle identification number (VIN) has been engraved or etched onto the converter.
Recognizing the crisis is a nonpartisan national issue, the PART Act is a rare bipartisan, bicameral effort, led by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mike Braun (R-IN), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and JD Vance (R-OH). Catalytic converters are required for compliance with federal emissions laws.
Blumenfield concluded, “Far too many people have woken up, gotten in their car, only to realize they were robbed, they can’t get to work or school, and are out hundreds, if not thousands. of dollars. This is unacceptable and more must be done at all levels of government to address catalytic converter theft. Supporting bills like these are critical and I will continue to work with LAPD on ways to further address this crisis.”
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