February 7, 2023 11:05 a.m.

Senator Ron Wyden recently joined with Senate colleagues from both parties to introduce legislation that would combat the rise in catalytic converter thefts in Oregon and nationwide.

Wyden said, “The theft of catalytic converters has soared in Oregon and across the nation, costing working families and small business owners valuable time and money”. Wyden said, “This bill will bring us one step close to solving this problem by strengthening local law enforcement’s ability to locate stolen car parts and address these thefts as criminal offenses”.

A release said the Preventing Auto Recycling Thefts Act would ensure that law enforcement can more effectively address these thefts by marking each converter with a traceable identification number and establishing converter thefts as a criminal offense. Catalytic converters are required for compliance with federal emissions laws but are costly for car owners to replace once stolen.

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, catalytic converter thefts rose by more than 325 percent from 2019 to 2020. Replacing these parts imposes significant financial costs to vehicle owners, often between $500 and $2,300 and can even result in a total loss to the vehicle.

The text of the bill is linked: https://www.wyden.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/KAT23072%20PART%20Act%202023.pdf