“He became unrestrained” | New bill to crack down on catalytic converter theft

The bill would make it illegal to own a catalytic converter removed from a car unless the person has a legitimate business reason to do so.

SAN ANTONIO. According to the National Crime Bureau, catalytic converter thefts continue to rise across the country, and thieves can still get between $50 and $250 for a catalytic converter they turn in to recycling facilities.

Texas District 7 Senator Paul Betancourt said thefts have become so lucrative that gangs have formed to take advantage of them.

“You have organized crime people who have moved into this area because it’s very profitable and they’re grabbing all the transformers they can,” Betancourt said. “It’s become big business.”

Betancourt told Kens 5 that police could currently get into situations where they would stop people and see a suspect’s catalytic converters, but they don’t have the ability to make an arrest. SB 465 will change that.

“It basically says that if you have a catalytic converter and are not part of the normal supply chain – auto shops, tow trucks, salvage, recycling, etc. – there will be a presumption that you stole it or were involved in stealing it. ” Betancourt said.

The bill’s list of exemptions for legitimate businesses is quite long and includes junkyards, licensed salvage car dealers, car depots, auto repair shops, towing companies, and used car parts recyclers, among others. This also includes contractors working for the above enterprises.

The bill would also make the theft of a catalytic converter a felony in state prison, rather than a misdemeanor.

USAA spokesperson Rebeca Nelson said replacements can cost victims between $3,500 and $5,000, and in some cases the victim may wait more than 6 months to find a replacement.

“This does not include the cost of your stay in the rental car for an extended period of time,” Nelson said.

Nelson said more than 10,000 USAA customers had converters stolen in 2022.

Texas Insurance Board spokesman Richard Johnson told KENS 5 that theft is “a major issue for the insurance industry and definitely impacting rates.”

The Betancourt police must be able to shut down these gangs in order for this to stop.

“I think this should send a signal to these gangs to get out of this business. Not only do these thefts happen all the time, but people in Houston get shot and killed because of them,” Betancourt said.

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texasstandard.news contributed to this report.

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