AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — In Aurora, thieves who steal catalytic converters will no longer be able to sell them without proving they are a legitimate business under a new ordinance passed by the city council.
The burden now falls on the seller to prove catalytic converters have not been stolen. Businesses buying converters must make a report online so they can be tracked by law enforcement agencies.
Catalytic converter thefts have been skyrocketing across the Denver metro.
“It’s people who are parking their cars on the street and it’s vehicles that are easily accessible, because it takes them about two minutes to crawl underneath that car and cut them off,” Colorado Independent Automobile Dealers Association CEO David Cardella said.
Aurora hopes other cities regulate catalytic converter sales
The state has also passed measures geared toward making it more difficult to sell stolen converters. Denver now requires scrap yards to report specific information to the city anytime someone sells a catalytic converter to them.
Curtis Gardner, Aurora city council member, helped spearhead the new converter ordinance and he’s hoping other cities do the same.
“If we are the only municipality that passes this, the converter can be stolen here in Aurora and resold in another city and neighboring cities,” Gardner said.
The converters can be sold for big money because of the precious metals found inside them.
Replacing one on a 10-year-old car can cost up to $5,000.
“The hope is that by increasing the documentation we will be able to do away with the economic incentive for people to steal catalytic converters in the city of Aurora,” said Juan Marcano, Aurora city council member.
Marcano said businesses that don’t abide by the new catalytic converter rules could face penalties.