Corona City Council
March 1, 2023

Catalytic Converter
Municipal Code
Jason Perez, Lieutenant
March 1, 2023
o Is an exhaust emissions control device located
underneath vehicles
o Contains palladium and rhodium, valued at
several thousand dollars per ounce
o Can cost victims more than $2000 to replace and
yield up to $200 on the black market
2 What is a
Catalytic
Converter?
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2020 2021 2022
Catalytic Converter Thefts
2020-2022
What has the police department done?
▷ Shared public safety posts
on social media accounts
▷ Shared information at
Neighborhood Watch
meetings and community
events
▷ Actively investigate suspect
leads
▷ Collaborated with our City
Legal Department to draft
the proposed ordinance 4
Current State and Federal Laws
▷ There are no state or federal laws applicable to
prosecute the unlawful possession of catalytic
converters without an identifiable victim
▷ California AB1740 and SB1087 address
purchasers of the catalytic converters only
5 6
What would a Municipal Code Update do?
✓ Help deter criminal activity
✓ Specify consequences for illegal
activity
✓ Help aid law enforcement
investigations
✓ Show a proactive approach from
the city
Proposed Municipal Code
▷ Make it unlawful to possess a catalytic converter
without proving legal ownership
▷ Proof that the catalytic converter was stolen will
not be required
▷ Each catalytic converter is an additional violation
of the municipal code
▷ Is a misdemeanor
7 Proof of lawful possession
✓ Bill of sale from the original owner with photographs ✓ Documentation from an auto-body shop proving owner
relinquished ownership
✓ Electronic communication from the previous owner
✓ Photographs of the vehicle from which the catalytic converter originated
✓ Vehicle registration associated with the catalytic converter containing an etched associated license plate number or vehicle identification number
8 ▪ Irvine
▪ Vallejo
▪ South San Fransico
▪ Lake Forest
Cities that adopted municipal
codes like our proposed code:
▪ Fresno
▪ Huntington Beach
▪ Chino Hills
▪ Orange
9 Questions?
(951) 736-2360
[email protected]
www.CoronaCA.gov