SAN JOSE, Calif. ( KRON ) — The San Jose city council unanimously approved to strengthen laws prohibiting the possession of unregistered catalytic converters on Tuesday night. The changes enact a higher schedule of fines within a longer time frame of violation for the possession of unlawful catalytic converters.
The proposed changes come after the spike in catalytic converter thefts that the nation saw during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. In San Jose, officials said that trend continued as thieves kept stealing the parts and reselling the metal for cash. In 2023, 836 people in San Jose reported having their catalytic converter stolen, according to the city council.
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San Jose councilmember Peter Ortiz said the cost of replacing a catalytic converter is beyond reasonable for any working-class person. Many have to pay $1,000 to $3,000 in insurance deductibles, the city council said.
“It is my hope that these increased fines work to deter catalytic converter theft,” councilmember Bien Doan said. “Residents have far too long been a victim of this criminal epidemic.”