LA's Catalytic Converter Theft Crackdown Plan Sparks Controversy

LOS ANGELES, CA — A proposed law meant to make it easier for police to crack down on catalytic converter theft divided the City Council on Tuesday, with one member raising concerns that the law would unfairly criminalize vulnerable people.

The council approved the measure on an 8-4 vote, a slim enough margin that another vote will be required at an upcoming meeting.

If approved, it would be illegal in the city to possess a catalytic converter that is not attached to a vehicle without proof of ownership. Each misdemeanor violation could come with a fine of up to $1,000 and/or up to a six-month jail sentence.

Reports of catalytic converters stolen from the underside of vehicles have skyrocketed in recent years in Los Angeles. Victims are faced with necessary costly repairs and often long wait times to see a mechanic, said Councilmember John Lee, who first introduced the proposal about a year ago.

"After many conversations with LAPD and hearing from officers that it is near-impossible to hold catalytic-converter thieves accountable for their crimes, I am pleased to see this ordinance before us today," Lee said at the meeting.

But other council members don't support the proposed law.

"Criminalizing the mere possession of a catalytic converter, I think, is the wrong way to go, because we know which communities are going to be the most criminalized because of this," Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez said. "Even a short incarceration of a couple days can destabilize somebody's life forever."

Hernandez argued the documentation required to confirm legal ownership of a catalytic converter is more arduous than what's required for vehicle registration.

Under the proposed law, proof can include a bill of sale with photos, documents from an auto-body shop, electronic communication from the previous owner, photos of the vehicle from which the catalytic converted originated and vehicle registration associated with the catalytic converter containing an etched plate number or VIN.

Catalytic converters, an essential part of a vehicle's emissions system, are prized by thieves due to their high cost: They contain valuable precious metals like rhodium, palladium and platinum, USA Today reported.