Bill Would Require VIN Etching, Ban Sales Of Catalytic Converters

By CBSLA Staff, CBS Los Angeles:

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón and LAPD Chief Michel Moore threw their support Tuesday behind a new measure to crack down on catalytic converter thefts.

The measure from state Sens. Thomas Umberg, D-Santa Ana, and Anthony Portantino, D-La Cañada Flintridge would prohibit car dealerships and retailers from selling new vehicles unless the vehicle’s identification number has been engraved or etched onto the catalytic converter, and ban the cash sales of used catalytic converters by requiring recyclers to accept only traceable payment methods such as a credit card.

“We need to step up and give law enforcement the tools they need to track these parts and to put the folks who steal them behind bars,” Portantino said.

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