Fresno joins statewide task force to crackdown on catalytic converter thefts

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Catalytic converter thefts continue to be a big problem in the Central Valley.

While they can be hard to prevent and prosecute, an effort is being made in Fresno to change that.

Stolen catalytic converters can leave people without a car and out thousands of dollars.

"It was tough because after the first 30 days of the rental car, I had to turn back in, and then I ended up using a family member's vehicle for the remainder of the month," said Kevin Waller.

Without knowing who stole the part, all Waller could do was report the crime without much hope of an arrest.

"They weren't able to do anything," said Waller. "I just called in a report and made sure we got a report. So, the insurance company would be happy with the report.

Without serial numbers, the stolen catalytic converters can be hard to trace, making arrests and prosecution difficult.

Earlier in the year, the City of Fresno passed an ordinance making possession of a detached catalytic converter without proof of ownership a crime punishable by fines and even up to a year in jail.

Before, someone had to be caught stealing the catalytic converter to be prosecuted.

To help track the stolen parts, Midas in Fresno will etch your vehicle identification number into your catalytic converter.

"Which as a result, if they do get stolen, at least offering a better chance of recovering, they do they get back to the person that owns it, only because they're very expensive," said Roy Rodriguez at Midas. "Converter replacement costs anywhere from like 1,000 bucks on up."

City Attorney Andrew Janz said the state took notice of the ordinance and invited Fresno to join the California Statewide Catalytic Converter Taskforce.

The group is made up of several District Attorney's Offices throughout the state, including the Fresno County D-A, as well as other city and federal law enforcement agencies, to tackle the issue together locally and statewide.

"We thought it was very important to get in the room with other municipalities, other agencies who are dealing with the same issue, so we don't reinvent the wheel," said Janz. "Part of the goal is to make sure that we're not stepping on each other's toes. Part of the goal is to make sure that we're working collaboratively. And if we do that, I think that we can see we're going to see a difference."

Janz says collaboration with Fresno Police and other agencies has already helped reduce thefts in the city.

According to Fresno police, by this time last year, there were more than 1,600 catalytic converter thefts in the city.

This year, there have only been 375 so far.

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