PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Catalytic converter thefts were a scourge during the pandemic, but they have dropped steeply in the last few years. A bill introduced into Philadelphia City Council last week aims to cut crime even further.
Councilmember Cindy Bass said catalytic converter thefts approached 6,000 in 2022 — the year she sponsored her first bill to prevent the crime. By the next year, they were under 1,500.
“This 75% reduction proves that targeted legislation and increased penalties work,” she said.
Credit also goes to area police departments for breaking up two multi-million-dollar theft rings that specialized in the converters, which are valued for the precious metals they contain.
The crime has not disappeared altogether, though, and Bass believes her new bill will take another big chunk out of the thefts by increasing penalties for stealing, buying or selling the parts from $2,000 to $2,500. It would also require proof of ownership to sell not just an intact converter but any of its component parts.
“Criminals are adaptive and we must be one step ahead,” she said. “We are sending a strong message that catalytic converter theft will not be tolerated.”
The bill now goes to committee for a hearing.