Catalytic converter theft best thwarted with a state law

“My cat(alytic converter) got stolen. Do something.” — A customer of Albuquerque City Councilor Renee Grout, who owns a vehicle repair shop

It’s one of those things that doesn’t require even six degrees of separation. Catalytic converter theft is so prevalent we all know someone who has had the anti-pollution device stolen off their vehicle.

Here at the Journal we don’t even have to look beyond the staff list. One employee had theirs stolen while parked at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in broad daylight during a performance. Another had theirs stolen while parked in the Journal lot in the middle of the afternoon. And several company vehicles have had theirs cut off overnight.

In fact, 1,300 were reported stolen in Albuquerque in 2022, Grout says.

And it’s a national trend. Plug it into an online search and see stories of theft rings making hundreds of millions of dollars reselling the precious metals inside as well as multiple ads for preventive equipment. Just this month the Minnesota House voted 113-15 with little debate to crack down on the rash of catalytic converter thefts, prohibiting scrap metal dealers from purchasing a catalytic converter without identifying markings that can trace it to a specific vehicle.

Grout wants to do the same in Albuquerque — her shop has had to do thousands of dollars in repairs for each customer who comes in minus the catalytic converter. Her proposed ordinance is very good.

But passing N.M. Senate Bill 133 into law would be even better. This theft is not limited to Albuquerque, and a city ordinance alone means thieves will continue to steal them in Albuquerque and sell them over the city line.

Much like Grout’s proposed law, SB 133 requires those buying catalytic converters, i.e. secondhand metal dealers, to keep records of those purchases, including information on the seller and proof the seller owned the vehicle the catalytic converter came from. And it includes a provision that local governments may impose additional reporting requirements — Grout would like to see sales reported to the Albuquerque Police Department rather than simply recorded in a ledger and put on a shelf. That’s smart.

SB 133 is bipartisan — sponsored by Sens. Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, and Leo Jaramillo, D-Española, House Speaker Javier Martínez, D-Albuquerque, and Reps. Janelle Anyanonu, D-Albuquerque, and Joshua Hernandez, R-Rio Rancho. It passed the Senate unanimously Feb. 13 and is currently in the House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs Committee.

The number of thefts and costs of repairs are already daunting, and SB133’s Fiscal Impact Report ends on this cautionary note:

“WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL: Theft and sale of catalytic converters to secondhand metal dealers will continue to be loosely regulated, requiring easily-met documentation, and resulting in continued escalation of theft.”

New Mexicans simply cannot afford that. We agree with Grout’s customers, that it’s time for New Mexico to “do something” about catalytic converter theft. Get SB 133 to the governor.