REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
DATE: 03/01/2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Police Department
SUBJECT:
Title
An ordinance adding Chapter 10.47 to the Corona Municipal Code Regarding Unlawful Possession of Catalytic Converters.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report requests the City Council to approve an ordinance adding Chapter 10.47 to the Corona Municipal Code Regarding Unlawful Possession of Catalytic Converters. The City has seen a significant increase in the thefts of catalytic converters and is seeking the adoption of an ordinance added to the municipal code to make the unlawful possession of a catalytic converter a crime, even when the original victim cannot be identified.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the City Council Introduce, by title only, and waive full reading for consideration of Ordinance No. 3364, the first reading of an ordinance regarding the unlawful possession of a catalytic converter.
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BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
A catalytic converter is an exhaust emissions control device located underneath automobiles between the exhaust manifold and the muffler. These devices contain precious metals such as platinum, palladium, and rhodium, some of which are valued at several thousand dollars per ounce. The catalytic converter is easily accessible on most vehicles.
Catalytic converters have become a primary target for thieves due to their accessibility and precious metals. Removal of the converter can take less than one-minute using common tools such as a reciprocating saw, and the metals inside can yield up to $200 on the black market. Once the catalytic converter is removed, the vehicle can be inoperable, and it can cost the victim more than $2,000 to replace.
To date, no City, State, or Federal legislation is applicable to the City of Corona to define and punish catalytic converter thefts absent an identifiable victim. As a result, catalytic converter thefts continue to rise in the City...
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