There has been a rash of catalytic converter cases in the country, but Washington State has gotten it the worst. Catalytic converter theft is now up 10,000% in the state since Democrats passed a bill in 2019. Here’s the details.
Catalytic converters, a device that reduces toxic gases in exhaust, is easy to steal and thieves can get up to $300 for the device when selling it to scrap yards. It reportedly only takes a minute to cut out and all it takes is a battery powered saw. What’s worse is that the devices can cost around $2,000 to $4,000 to install according to some mechanics depending on the damage.
Watch video below showing how quick it is to steal one of the devices in a video from Stockton, California. It happens in the first 30 seconds.
Before the pandemic, thefts of catalytic converters were very low in Washington. In 2019, there were only 42 statewide thefts, but according to a new report by Been Verified, there were 592 reported thefts in 2020 – a slight increase. However in 2021, there were a whopping 4,252 theft cases of the converters. It’s getting even worse, too. By April of this year, there were 1,533 cases so far of theft.
That’s a 10,024 percent jump in catalytic converter thefts in two years, and 2022 is about to break records.
Watch King 5 cover the increase in thefts that are leaving many citizens without any recourse.
It’s not The rest of the country has seen 26,000 thefts in the first four months of 2022. That’s a 33.5 percent increase in previous years.
Why? The reason is bad legislation.
In 2019, Democrats passed a bill that bans vehicular pursuits in most circumstances. They are only allowed upon reasonable DUI suspicion, violent crimes, sex crimes, or an escaped convict. Stealing a catalytic converter is a property crime and does not warrant a pursuit under the bill.
The law is House Bill 1054 and bans the use of tear gas, choke holds, and neck restraints as well as pursuits unless an officer has probable cause.
“When you tell the criminal element ahead of time that it is against Washington State law to pursue for all property crimes, then it is logical you will see a rise in those same crimes,” Snohomish County Sheriff Adam Fortney told the Jason Rantz Show on KTTH. “It is not good law to notify the crooks ahead of time that there will be no effort on the part of law enforcement to pursue and attempt to hold them accountable. The current pursuit limitations from the state legislature have emboldened the criminal element.”
Man Stops Thief By Hoisting His Car Into Air With a Forklift
<iframe src="https://omny.fm/shows/the-jason-rantz-show/sen-jeff-wilson-on-his-proposal-to-punish-those-in/embed" width="100%" height="180" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write" frameborder="0" title="Sen. Jeff Wilson on his proposal to punish those involved with theft of catalytic converts"></iframe>In response, Washington State passed HB 1915 to curb the theft of catalytic converters. It makes it harder for scrap yards to buy stolen ones and makes it so they need vehicle documentation to initiate a sale. It also allows law enforcement to sting a location that buys them. Critics have said the bill does not have the teeth necessary to stop the problem, but that has yet to be determined.
Democrat legislation designed to help reform the justice system is doing just that. However, it’s not reforming it on behalf of law-abiding citizens. It’s making it easier for criminals instead. Do you think Democrat states want this on purpose or is it just pure foolishness on their part?
