Fortunately, most people do not need to know what a catalytic converter is - unless you try driving a car and you do not have one. State Senator Diane Savino said, "I wish to thank Governor Hochul, my Assembly Colleague and bill sponsor Assemblywoman Buttenschon, and Senators Addabbo and Kennedy for all their help with this critical legislation. Those kits will be provided at no more than the cost of the kit itself. In addition, new motor vehicle dealers and other qualified dealers will be required to stock catalytic converter etching kits to put a unique serial number on the components so that they can be tracked back if they are stolen. Failing to maintain or produce those records upon request is a Class A misdemeanor and could include monetary penalties of up to double the amount made in taking in allegedly stolen converter components. Every 60 days, those businesses must report the number of catalytic converters received during that period. The Governor signed legislation (S.9428/ A.1940-E), which amends the Vehicle and Traffic Law to add catalytic converters as a major component vehicle part, which will require vehicle dismantlers to maintain records of them. The State Police is fully engaged with our law enforcement partners at the local, state and federal level, and is committed to providing the resources necessary to bring down the criminal organizations that are responsible for the spike in auto and catalytic converter thefts." Nigrelli said, "We appreciate the Governor's support in addressing this growing problem. New York State Police First Deputy Superintendent Steven A. We have held and will continue to hold press conferences across New York State to raise awareness among consumers and educate them on ways to safeguard their vehicles against these thefts." We are working closely with our partners in law enforcement and the auto dealership industry to address these thefts by distributing etching kits. Schroeder said, "We have been working diligently on several fronts to address this issue of catalytic converter thefts. New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Mark J.F. In Suffolk County, 289 converters were stolen in 2021 and 819 so far this year in 2022.Īccording to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, which tracks crimes reported to insurance companies, the number of reported catalytic converter thefts increased from roughly 1,300 in 2018 to more than 52,000 in 2021 - an increase of roughly 1,215 percent from 2019. According to reports, last year in Nassau County, 445 catalytic converters were stolen, and this year a total of 1,549 converters were stolen. There are also nearly three times as many catalytic converter thefts so far this year in Suffolk County. There have been 5,548 catalytic converter thefts in the city as of August 14, in comparison to 1,505 thefts during the same period in 2021.Ĭatalytic converter thefts in Nassau County are reportedly up 248 percent so far this year. In New York City, the New York Police Department initially reported that catalytic converter thefts have almost quadrupled in 2022. These investigations often involved organized theft operations that cross state lines. New York State Police and the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles are directed to leverage their existing partnerships with local, state, and federal law enforcement to increase investigations and crackdowns in high-theft areas. Interagency cooperation and enforcement are key to addressing this statewide issue. It can cost a dealer $2,000 to $3,000 to replace a stolen converter in order to fix damage to a vehicle's undercarriage, fuel line, and electric lines in the process of a theft. Theft of catalytic converters is costly to auto dealers, as well as the driving public. Catalytic converters are a key piece of a vehicle's exhaust system, breaking down pollutants like smog that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere.
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