By Emily Ketterer | Daily Journal
For The Republic
INDIANAPOLIS — Stealing a catalytic converter would result in a felony charge if a new state senate bill becomes law this year.
Indiana Senate Bill 167, authored by local Sen. Jack Sandlin, R-Indianapolis, would raise the penalty in the theft of a catalytic converter up to a Level 6 felony from a Class A misdemeanor. Knowingly selling a precious metal taken from a stolen catalytic converter would also result in a Level 6 felony charge, instead of an infraction, under the proposed legislation.
The push for statewide legislation to address an ongoing problem of statewide catalytic converter thefts began in Johnson County. Prosecutor Joe Villanueva and Sheriff Duane Burgess met with Sandlin in October to discuss the issue, and Villanueva testified earlier this month at the statehouse on behalf of the bill.
“We reached out to (Sandlin) and told him what we wanted to do. He jumped on it and said, ‘Yeah, I agree with you,'” Burgess said.
Thefts of catalytic converters have become an increasing problem across the state and in Johnson County. About 150 converter thefts were reported last year alone throughout the county, Villanueva said.
Officials hope upping the stakes for committing the crimes will curb the issue, they said.
“They need to be held accountable. They need to go to prison for it and they need to learn a lesson,” Burgess said. “For a long time, it’s been a free-for-all.”
Catalytic converters are targeted because they are made with precious metals, such as platinum, palladium or rhodium, that are valuable to metal dealers. Most suspects who cut the converters off cars are skilled enough to do it in under 10 seconds, Villanueva said.
“It’s easy money. They’ve got it down to an art,” Burgess said.
The issue with the law as it stands is the piece of equipment is not listed as a “component part” needed for a vehicle to run. So, the criminal charge is based on the worth of the converter in the car.
For example, an individual who steals a converter from a car that can be replaced for less than $750 can only be charged with a misdemeanor, while someone who steals a converter from a car that would cost more than $750 to replace can be charged with a felony, Villanueva said.
SB 167 defines catalytic converters as a component part, and adds “valuable metals” to the list of items that can result in a felony charge if stolen, even if the value of the item is less than $750.
“In Indiana, if you steal a car, the offense of auto theft is the same whether the car is a $300,000 Rolls Royce or a $500 clunker. The same will now potentially apply to converters,” Villanueva said.
Metal dealers who knowingly possess and sell metals from stolen converters would also be subject to felony charges, which could help curb the crimes on both ends, officials said.
Several people have been arrested in the county for theft of catalytic converters, Burgess said. The sheriff’s office has assigned deputies to areas where the thefts are common, and send out alerts to the public when they are searching for suspects.
“We’ve locked up a lot of folks for that recently,” Burgess said.
SB 167 has a ways to go before it could become a law. The bill passed out of the Senate Corrections and Criminal Law committee by a vote of 8-0 two weeks ago. It can now go to the full Senate for amendments and a vote. If it passes the Senate, the bill would then go through the same process in the House for consideration and a vote before heading to Gov. Eric Holcomb’s desk.
“This is something that cannot wait,” Burgess said. “I’ve been pretty outspoken about these catalytic converters and what goes on.”
