ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota House on a vote of 113-15, and with little debate Monday night, passed a bill to crack down on the rash of catalytic converter thefts in Minnesota, which is currently in the top five for insurance claims.
West St. Paul Police Chief Brian Sturgeon said he supports the move.
“We have a large population in our city that lives paycheck to paycheck,” Sturgeon said. “Talk about a burden to those individuals that have their catalytic converter stolen…anywhere from a few hundred dollars for a replacement to thousands of dollars.”
The bill prohibits scrap metal dealers from purchasing a catalytic converter without identifying markings that can trace it to a specific vehicle.
It would also be illegal for someone to possess a catalytic converter taken out of a vehicle unless it is so marked.
Catalytic converters are valuable because they contain precious metals that can be recycled.
