Two Fresno County Supervisors are proposing an ordinance to hold catalytic converter thieves accountable.
The board will consider the ordinance during Tuesday’s regularly scheduled meeting.
The big picture: Supervisors Garry Bredefeld and Brian Pacheco are looking to put Fresno County’s first ordinance addressing catalytic converter theft on the books.
- Under their proposal, unlawful possession of a detached catalytic converter would be either a misdemeanor or a violation that is subject to an administrative penalty.
- As a criminal misdemeanor penalty, violators would be subject to a fine of up to $1,000 and one year in jail. A second offense would result in another $1,000 fine and an additional year in jail.
- If violators are given a civil administrative penalty, they would be fined $1,000 for the second offense, $2,000 for a second offense within 36 months and $5,000 for each subsequent offense within 36 months.
State of play: Current state law only penalizes thieves if they are in possession of at least nine catalytic converters without an auto dismantler’s license.
What they’re saying: “Catalytic converter theft has been a consistent problem in recent years, victimizing hardworking residents and leaving them with costly repairs,” Bredefeld said. “This ordinance is about protecting the public, holding criminals accountable and making it clear that this will not be tolerated in Fresno County.”
- Packeco said the threat of fines and potential jail time shows that Fresno County is serious about cracking down on catalytic converter theft.
- “For victims, replacement costs thousands of dollars while thieves walk away without consequences and get hundreds of dollars for each device,” Pacheco said. “This ordinance gives the County a means to stop and arrest those found with catalytic converters that they can’t prove are their own. This ordinance will lead to fines and possible jail time, which I believe will serve as a deterrent.”
