New law is a ‘game changer’ to stop catalytic converter theft, Richland sheriff says
A “serious problem” in South Carolina and the Midlands now has a fix, and lawmakers and police are praising it.
A new law aims to stop catalytic converter theft, a crime that has surged in Richland County in the last year.
“To us, this is a game changer,” Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said at a Tuesday news conference. “I think this really is going to put a stop to a serious problem we have in our state.”
The new law, signed by the Gov. Henry McMaster May 18, makes it illegal for people to carry catalytic converters without proper documents, and makes it illegal to sell catalytic converters except to permitted metal recyclers. To sell to a recycler, a person has to have documentation that the converter was legally obtained.
For a first offense, illegally carrying or selling a converter is misdemeanor punishable with up to three years in prison and a fine. A subsequent offense is a felony that comes with up to five years in prison and fines.
The law also makes it illegal for metal recyclers, usually called scrap yards, to purchase catalytic converters without proper documentation for the item. A scrap yard owner could go to prison for three years if they buy stolen converters.
A catalytic converter, part of a vehicle’s exhaust system, turns toxic gases into water and carbon dioxide. The converters contain valuable metals rhodium and palladium, which is part platinum. It resides in the cars undercarriage, making it easy to access for thieves.
Rep. Todd Rutherford, D-Richland, introduced the bill that became the law in March and a bipartisan group, including state representatives from Lexington and Richland counties, supported the law. Reps. Micah Caskey, Chris Wooten and Ivory Thigpen signed on as bill sponsors. The bill unanimously passed the House and Senate.
At the Tuesday afternoon news conference at the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Rutherford, standing with the sheriff, said lawmakers made the law as quickly as possible because sheriffs from across the states expressed the urgency of addressing catalytic converter theft.
Rutherford, a criminal defense attorney, and Lott are often at odds. Lott joked about that, saying that people might be surprised to see them together. But catalytic converter theft was an issue they both wanted to quickly fix.
“Rarely do you see a change in the law happen that quick,” Lott said about the three months it took for the bill to pass.
The theft of catalytic converters has spiked in the Midlands following a nationwide increase in the crime. Rocketing values of platinum is cited as one reason for the rise in the crime. Thieves target car lots and Toyota Priuses often.
In 2016, Richland County Sheriff’s Department had two cases of catalytic converter theft, Lott said. In 2020, they had 290.
Illegally selling just one the converters can bring in $50 to several hundred dollars, according Car and Driver. Car owner may be on the hook for $1,000 to more than several thousand dollars to get a new catalytic converter.
Lott and Rutherford talked about several cases of converter theft, including a car lot that had eight of the items stolen and was considering closing down because the owners couldn’t afford replacements. Daycare buses had their catalytic converters hacked off, Rutherford said. An employee at the State House was a victim and was told it would cost $3,000 to fix.
People were driving into South Carolina from other states to buy catalytic converters from thieves, Lott said. The new law stops that by making it illegal to sell the items unless the seller has a fixed business site.
The State has reported on the crime for months.
In December, state agents charged a Barnwell police officer who made at least $20,000 illegally buying and selling catalytic converters.
Columbia police charged three Charlotte men with a conspiracy to steal catalytic converters after they were caught trying to take the part from a car in the Rosewood neighborhood, police said.
Then in March, Lexington County deputies said they stopped a man with 83 stolen converters worth $50,000.
This story was originally published May 25, 2021 at 4:29 PM.