Kansas Law Targets to Curb Rising Catalytic Converter Thefts

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The sale of catalytic converter to scrap metal dealers in Kansas must now be forwarded to the police database. The state attorney general ruled that the sale must be forwarded to the master database of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI).

Attorney General Derek Schmidt noted that catalytic converter does not have a specific mention in the state’s 2015 Scrap Metal Theft Reduction Act. However, it is logically possible to include it in the list, as catalytic converter contains some of the metals mentioned in the list. The Act has now been used to address the issue, following a sudden spike in catalytic converter theft cases, Schmidt added.

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Incidentally, higher metal prices are said to have fuelled the rise in theft incidents. There has been a huge surge in theft incidents. For instance, Kansas City reported around 900 theft incidents during the previous year. In January 2021 alone, there have been around 200 cases, which translate to a yearly rate of 2,400.

The Act says that civil penalties of $100 to $5,000 per violation will be imposed on scrap metal dealers, which will be subject to appeal under the Kansas Judicial Review Act. The jurisdiction and authority over the implementation, administration, and enforcement of the Act lies with the Attorney General.