CHULA VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) – Law enforcement agencies across San Diego County are continuing to fight against the rise in catalytic converter thefts.
Chula Vista Police Department Public Information Officer Sgt. Anthony Molina, said, “These people should know we’re coming after you. We’re taking this seriously … And it’s not just the police department, it’s the public, it’s the government; we know it’s a big problem, and when we find you, you will face all the consequences for that.”
Several weeks ago, the ABC 10News Breaking News Tracker received video of two people accused of trying to steal converters and were caught by police.
Molina said they’ve seen a steady increase in the number of these types of cases in the last few years as people try to cash in on the expensive metals.
“Back in 2018, we only had one reported theft in our city. And you go back to 2021, where we had 170 -- that's very alarming,” Molina said.
According to police, these thefts happen so frequently because catalytic converters can be stolen so easily. All it takes is getting underneath the vehicle and cutting the part out.
And that’s why police departments are doing what they can to try and deter these crimes from happening, by organizing events where car owners can get their VIN etched on their converter to make it easier to trace if it’s stolen and found.
Gov. Gavin Newsom is taking it a step further, recently signing two new bills that make it harder to steal and sell catalytic convertors by making it illegal for people to buy these parts from anyone other than a license auto dealer or dismantler.
