Costa Mesa drafting new law to curb catalytic converter thefts

To stem a rising tide of catalytic converter thefts, the city of Costa Mesa is drafting a law that would make it illegal to possess the stand-alone vehicle part without proof or documentation of lawful ownership.

City Council members Tuesday considered the creation of an ordinance at the request of members of the Costa Mesa Police Department, who say the incidence of people stealing the converters to recycle their semi-precious metals for cash has grown 1223% in three years.

Lt. Bryan Wadkins said while the department in 2019 received 26 reports of stolen catalytic converters, the number of thefts swelled to 318 last year and this year’s figures are already shaping up to outpace those results.

Catalytic converters, like five recovered during a Jan. 4 traffic stop in Santa Ana, are often stolen and recycled for the semi-precious metals they contain.

(Courtesy of Orange County Sheriff’s Department)

While criminals may receive anywhere from $200 to $1,200 for the part, it can cost victims up to $6,000 and take from four to five months to replace a stolen converter. Although efforts have been undertaken to catch thieves in the act using bait cars, drones and other surveillance, the thefts have continued to proliferate.

“Catalytic converter theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in California and around the nation,” Wadkins said. “One of the problems is catalytic converters are not serialized, so unless we catch a thief in progress, they’re nearly impossible to match to a victim’s vehicle.”

Enforcement presents another challenge. Because California law requires a victim to be identified before arrests can be made and charges filed, even those caught with several converters cannot be prosecuted, so long as the parts cannot be matched to specific vehicles.

A local ordinance would allow officers to arrest and book people in possession of the parts, unless they could provide proof of legal ownership, including registration, an etching or photographic evidence.

Similar laws currently exist in a few Orange County municipalities, including Huntington Beach, Irvine and Mission Viejo, Wadkins said. Although broader legislative efforts to prevent thefts are being undertaken at the state level, so far nothing is on the books.

“We’re not boasting this would solve the catalytic converter crisis,” Wadkins said of the Costa Mesa ordinance. “But this would close a small loophole in the law and help us when those instances come, which are rare, that we could still hold these thieves accountable.”

Once the law passes, unlawful possession would be punishable as a misdemeanor, incurring up to one year in jail and a $10,000 fine for violators.

Wadkins encouraged residents to do their part to reduce the trend by purchasing retention devices, having an auto shop etch a vehicle’s identification number (VIN) or phone number on the parts and by keeping cars secured in garages.

Councilman Don Harper said he supported the law.

“We’ve had two or three stolen in our neighborhood, and it must be frustrating for you guys,” he said. “I totally support this — it’s just common sense.”

“Every little thing helps,” agreed Mayor Pro Tem Andrea Marr.

The ordinance will come back to the council for a second reading before final approval.

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