A bill aimed at curtailing the illegal but lucrative catalytic converter trade has been approved by the state Senate,
Sponsored by Sens. Sandra Cunningham, D-Jersey City, and Nellie Pou, D-Paterson, the legislation (S-249) would require operators of scrap metal businesses to only purchase used catalytic converters from individuals who are able to provide the VIN of the car the part was taken from and either the title or registration, a receipt from a repair or a bill of sale.
The bill was approved, 37-0, with three members not voting. An identical bill in the state Assembly has been referred to committee.
“In recent years, Jersey City has seen a serious spike in catalytic converter thefts,” Cunningham said. “Police have even gone so far as to encourage residents to place some sort of identifying marker on their catalytic converter to making it easier to trace if it is stolen.
“This legislation aims to make it harder to resell stolen parts, in an effort to discourage the theft all together.”
Thefts of catalytic converters has risen drastically in Hudson County and the rest of the nation over the past few years, spurred by the price of valuable metals inside the vehicle part — rhodium ($12,6000 per ounce) and palladium ($2,000 per ounce).
“Catalytic converter thefts have been popping up all over the state, leaving residents unable to drive their cars and in need of a major repair,” Pou said. “Unfortunately, once stolen they can be difficult to trace but with this legislation we can make them harder to resell, and therefore less valuable.”
Last month catalytic converters were stolen from six Verizon vehicles in a North Bergen lot. Last year a North Hudson law enforcement task force was created to deal with the crimes.
