News from Austin, Texas | A new state law targets thefts of catalytic converters.
Catalytic converter recycling is big business with some converters going for more than $500. A new state law requires anyone selling a converter to provide the make, model, year, vehicle identification number (VIN) and proof of ownership of the car the converter came from.
In an interview Lt. Mark Tuley of the Corpus Christi Police Department’s Auto Theft Task Force said,
“The new law will require buyers to identify, not only the person that’s selling the converter, but also the car it came from and making sure that the seller has some kind of financial interest or ownership in that vehicle. When the legitimate buyers stop buying them it’s going to take away the motivation for thieves to steal them.”
Records at the time of sale will include written and electronic record of time, date and price paid, address of seller and the seller’s thumb-print unless a valid cash transaction card is presented.
Violation of this law is a jail felony. For repeat offenders, it’s a third-degree felony.
Texas ranks second for the most catalytic converter thefts so far in 2021.
According to State Farm, Texas ranked 4th in 2020 and 2nd for the most catalytic converter thefts across the country so far in 2021.
Converter thefts were up over 300 percent since January 2020.
Why are catalytic converter thefts on the rise?
State Farm says it’s because they’re relatively easy to get to and steal; it can be done in less than 10 minutes.
Secondly, the metals used to make the catalytic converts include platinum, palladium and rhodium, all of which thieves sell for hundreds to thousands of dollars per ounce.
In Texas, Toyota Tundra and Prius seem to be the choice vehicle for catalytic converter thefts for both 2020 and 2021, according to State Farm.