Could You Be Prosecuted for Catalytic Converter Theft?

If you are charged in Southern California with stealing or possessing a stolen catalytic converter, consult an experienced Los Angeles theft attorney immediately. A conviction for stealing a catalytic converter carries substantial penalties, so having a lawyer represent you is essential.

Catalytic converters are exhaust emission control devices that convert harmful pollutants into less toxic substances. Reported catalytic converter thefts have increased substantially in the United States in recent years, from just over a thousand thefts in 2018 to more than 50,000 in 2021. California alone accounted for 37 percent of those catalytic converter thefts in 2021.

What is your recourse if you are charged with stealing a catalytic converter in Southern California? How will a Los Angeles theft lawyer defend you, and what are the penalties for a catalytic converter theft conviction?

Why is Catalytic Converter Theft Increasing?

The increase in catalytic converter thefts is attributable to the value of the precious metals in these devices, including rhodium, platinum, and palladium. Because of the high value of these precious metals, catalytic converter theft almost always qualifies as grand theft in California.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau reports that metal recyclers will pay from $50 to $250 for catalytic converters and up to $800 for a converter removed from a hybrid vehicle, but it can cost victims from $1,000 to $3,500 or more to replace a stolen converter, depending on the vehicle. Catalytic converter thefts cost victims over $382 million in 2022.

How Are Catalytic Converter Theft Convictions Penalized?

Grand theft is a “wobbler” offense that a California prosecutor may charge as either a felony or a misdemeanor:

  1. If you’re convicted of a misdemeanor grand theft charge, you could serve up to a year in jail and/or pay a fine of up to $1,000.
  2. If you receive a felony conviction for grand theft, you could go to prison for up to three years and/or pay a fine of up to $5,000.
  3. However, a felony conviction for grand theft is considered a “strike” under this state’s “Three Strikes” system. If you receive a third strike conviction, the penalty is twenty-five years in prison.

How Do the Courts Deal With Wobbler Charges?

Whether the theft charge against you is a felony or a misdemeanor, to convict you, the state must prove you’re guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The main distinction is that misdemeanor cases are less likely to entail lengthy delays, legal complications, or surprises.

Felony cases usually take more time and involve more complicated legal issues. Because so much is at stake in a felony prosecution, both sides will use every appropriate legal tool to prevail.

If the police place you under arrest, exercise your right to remain silent and your right to legal counsel – your Miranda rights. If the police try to question you, say something like “I prefer not to answer questions until my lawyer can be present to advise me,” and then say nothing more.

How Will Your Theft Attorney Handle Your Defense?

The California criminal justice system can be quite intimidating. You must be represented by a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney who will prepare an aggressive, appropriate, and effective defense strategy on your behalf.

If the state’s case against you is strong, a conviction may be inevitable, and instead of taking your case to trial, your Los Angeles theft attorney may pursue a plea deal. In a typical plea deal, you’ll enter a guilty plea to a lesser charge in return for alternative or reduced sentencing.

If you’re innocent but the charge cannot be dropped or dismissed, exercise your right to a jury trial where your lawyer will cast doubt on the state’s evidence and explain why the jurors should acquit you of the charge. At trial, your Los Angeles theft lawyer may offer one of these defenses:

  1. The police conducted an unlawful search or otherwise violated your rights during a search, arrest, or interrogation.
  2. You’ve been misidentified, and someone else committed the catalytic converter theft.
  3. The allegation against you has been fabricated, and no catalytic converter theft actually took place.

What Other California Laws Address Catalytic Converter Thefts?

In their effort to crack down on the rise in these thefts, in 2024, California lawmakers put into effect three additional laws related to catalytic converter thefts:

  1. Assembly Bill 1529 makes it against the law to remove a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) from a catalytic converter and also makes it unlawful to possess three or more catalytic converters that have had the VIN removed.
  2. Senate Bill 55 requires vehicle dealers to have catalytic converters on trucks etched or engraved with the VIN before a new or used truck is sold.
  3. Assembly Bill 641 redefines an automobile dismantler to include anyone who possesses nine or more catalytic converters, and it establishes penalties for anyone acting unlawfully as an automobile dismantler.

If you’re charged with the theft of a catalytic converter (or any other theft) in southern California, contact the Miranda Rights Law Firm immediately for the defense representation and legal guidance you’ll need. Don’t even consider acting as your own lawyer. Too much will be at risk.

Meet Attorney Douglas Miranda

If you face a catalytic converter theft charge or any other criminal theft charge in Southern California, you’ll need a defense lawyer who has substantial experience and a passion for justice. Take your catalytic converter theft case to the Miranda Rights Law Firm.

For more than two decades, Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Douglas Miranda has successfully defended those accused of crimes in Southern California. If you’re charged with stealing a catalytic converter, don’t risk your freedom with an inexperienced defense lawyer.

Attorney Douglas Miranda has handled more than 10,000 criminal cases. He will prepare an effective defense strategy on your behalf and bring your catalytic converter theft case to its best possible resolution. Now or in the future, you can call the Miranda Rights Law Firm at 213-255-5838 to schedule a free, in-depth evaluation of your case with no obligation. Se Habla español.