ST. PAUL, Minn. – The law soon will have new teeth against fencing stolen catalytic converters. Governor Tim Walz signed a bill with new penalties. The bill also requires scrap-metal dealers to to keep detailed records on anyone bringing in the devices, including the vehicle registration number of the vehicle. Police joined the governor for the signing ceremony.
Catalytic converters
The devices are required in exhaust systems to reduce environmentally toxic automotive fumes. Converters contain precious metals such as platinum, palladium and rhodium, thus making them valuable on the black market. Minnesota ranks fifth nationally for converter thefts. Crooks crawl under vehicle s and saw them off. Replacing a converter costs $500 to $2,300. Without a converter, a vehicle won’t work.